Ugly Betty, Season 5 : Back To New York
by TheGirlWhoWaited26
Summary: Betty comes back to NY but she soon finds out that it's hard ot get back your place when you've been gone for so long.But Betty doesn't give up as she tries first of all to win back her friendship with Daniel Meade and put him back on the right path.DETTY
1. Back Home

**CHAPTER 1 : Sweet Home**

" What do you mean by you're going to quit? " Christina shouted as she dropped her muffin.

" I didn't say I was going to... I already did it... three weeks ago" Betty replied as she backed up a little on her chair. She was having a coffee with her close friend Christina at a little café not far away from her apartment and decided it was the time for her to tell her friend before she learned it from someone else.

" What? You've already quit three weeks ago? Bloody hell, what is wrong with you? "

" Why anything has to be wrong with me? I just quit my job" Betty said shrugging her shoulders. Christina looked at her with eyebrows raised. She just couldn't believe that her hard-working friend would ever quit her job and shrug her shoulders like if it wasn't that big.

" You just quit a job where you were the boss!"

" Ah no I was the co-editor-in-chief ʺ Betty told her holding her finger up.

" But, you don't love your job anymore or what? " her friend asked her " I mean you were so excited, you love your job we celebrated it like twice every month for 4 months! We were even supposed to celebrate it again next saturday "

"I know " Betty said before bitting her bottom lip " The truth is I don't feel at home here... I miss my life back at New York, I miss my family, my friends and I even miss Whilelmina! " Christina looked at her with big eyes " Every little thing that made my life well _my life_, well I just, I miss them " Her blonde friend nodded her head.

" I understand... I felt the same way when I left Stuart and went to New York but I succeded to find my place there" Betty looked at her " Ok, it took a lot of time but then I was feeling like at home"

" Yeeaah but you got back here " The brunette told her as her friend was taking a bit of her muffin and ate it.

" Cause I had no choice! " Christina told her before looking up to look at her friend. She noticed the sad expression on her face as she was staring behind her. She turned her head to see a woman with a magasine with Daniel Meade who looked more than a little drunk on the front page with two women and the words 'The Manwhore out of control'. She turned her head back and sighed " It's not your fault Betty, Daniel has always been like that "Betty looked back at her friend and shook her head."

" No Christina. He had changed, he had become an amazing person... He wasn't that manwhore anymore... But since I left, no one is there to keep him on track. "

" You can't blame yourself! He's an adult, he makes his own choices ʺ Betty looked down at her coffee and Christina sighed as she understood " You quit for him huh? " Betty immediately looked up at her.

" No, no, no! Not at all! ʺ Betty said as she shook her head ʺ I quit because I wanted to for myself, not for him! Really Christina, I'd never leave my job just for a guy! ʺ

" He's not just a guy, _he's Daniel."_ Christina said " I wouldn't be surprised if you'd ever told me that you want to go back for New-York for him especially "betty opened her mouth but Christina didn't let her talk as she kept talking "I know how much you care about him and that he means a lot for you. After all he's your best friend, and he was there when I couldn't be there for you"

" Christina" Betty said in almost a whisper "What am I supposed to do?" Christina could see the tears forming in Betty's eyes and smiled gently at her.

"I'm going to call a cab" Christina said as Betty had finished packing up her stuffs. Betty nodded at her.

" You're sure you want me to have it?" She turned around to look at Jack, the only real friend she had made when she arrived in London 6 months ago. He was her assistant but she knew he could be so much more than an assistant so she always tried to make him write articles and get involved more than an assistant was supposed to be in the magasine and he turned out to be very good. She liked that he was american and could understand her when she would say she missed America, her home, her friends or the american's food.

"Totally sure! It would be better than your little studio apartment and plus the rent is already paid for like the 4 next months" she told him as she walked towards him, he looked at her with his very deep green eyes and smiled " You know I talked to Mr Dunn, he would be really happy to have you as- "

"Betty, haven't we already talked about that?" he cut her off, she sighed

"It's just I feel kind of horrible that you don't have a job anymore because of me!" She told him.

"It's not because of you Betty. I told you, I just didn't want to stay there anymore" He replied "I mean, Dunn's publications is like crashing down for 2 months now and it's going to be worse in a month. "Betty nodded as she remembered how Mr Dunn thought she wanted to leave because of that before she showed him her resignation letter that she had written like a month and a half after her arrival. "Besides, with you I wasn't just an assistant who brought you coffee when you wanted some. With you I was actually being someone more important but without you I'd never have that again. I'm just gonna try to find a new job and maybe call my family, I kind of miss them despite, well you know, my past with them" Betty pulled him into a tight hug as she felt herself tearing a little.

"I'm gonna miss you so much, Jack" she told him.

"I'm going to miss you my little Betty" he told her before they pulled apart. "Oh look at yourself now, you've gotta fix your makeup" She smiled.

"Thank you for everything you did since I came here" She told him as she whiped away her tears "I thought I was going to be kind of alone... But you made it impossible" She giggled as he smiled softly at her.

"Okay guys the cab will be here in 5" Christina said as she came back to Betty's room "Oh" She said as she saw Betty whiping her tears away

"She's just going to miss me sooo much, I can understand her, you know" Jack said as Christina rolled her eyes before leading Betty to the bathroom to fix her makeup.

"Wait until I tell you goodbye" Betty said to Christina "You're the one I'm going to miss the most" She said starting to sob as she was going to cry again.

"Don't be such an emotional girl Betty, it doesn't fit you" Christina told her as Betty started to sob even more "Oh God, London moved you to tears too many times"

Betty had finally arrived to New-York at 6pm, she decided not to tell anyone about her comeback, wanting to make it a surprise for everyone. She took a cab and headed to her father's house. She was excited and nervous, she knew that they would definitely be happy that she was back but she wondered what would be their reaction once she'll tell them that she quit her job because she missed Daniel and felt guilty about how he turned out? She tried to focus on the positive thoughts and decided to forget the bad ones at least for now.

As she got out of the cab, she was helped by the driver to pull out her suitcases right in front of her father's house, her old sweet home. A big grin appeared on her face as she stared at her house, almost forgetting to pay the taxi driver.

"Alright, don't be nervous, don't be nervous Betty. It's your family they won't judge your choice and they'll be happy to see you here!" She told herself as she walked to the door and knocked. She breathed deeply as she waited for someone to open the door but nothing happened so she decided to knock louder. Nothing. She decided to ring the doorbell twice and waited. She frowned her eyebrows when no one came to open the door for her. She looked at the windows and realized that there was no one in there. She turned around and looked at the neighborhood as she sighed. Maybe they were all at Hilda and Bobby's house? She made one step when she remembered Hilda saying that she and Bobby were going to a week trip and that was that week. But her father and her nephew weren't a part of that trip, where were they then? She sighed as she pulled her phone out to call one of them but stopped as she remembered she wanted to make her comeback a surprise.

She looked down at her suitcases and decided to call a cab to go somewhere else. And there weren't a lot of places she could call home easily at Manhattan.

She stood there staring at the huge building in front of her while people were passing by her, almost pushing her from their way. It seemed even higher and more massive than in her memories. The five letters written above the entrance made her smile as she took her suitcases in her hands and started to walk onto the building. The hallway seemed a little different, a little more sophisticated than it used to be, she wondered if it was Whilelmina's decision to change it a little. Then she remembered that Whilelmina was now the editor-in-chief of Mode magazine when a voice pulled her out of her thoughts.

"Excuse me, do you need some help?" She turned around and looked at the brown-haired woman sat in front of a black desk. She remembered the old woman that used to work there and wondered where she had gone.

"No, I'm fine, thanks" Betty replied smiling politely at the woman "I'm Betty Suarez, I hum used to work here and I-"

"Oooh, you're THE Betty Suarez?" The young woman said with a huge grin. Betty just nodded as the woman walked towards her looking up and down at her "Wow, I was told you had a bad fashion taste but that it improved a little bit but well I can say it's more than improved!"

"Thanks, I guess?" Betty said not sure of what tell her as she looked down at her little dark blue dress under her little black jacket and her black heels.

"Well it's nice to finally meet you in person! I'm Lucie!" She grinned at Betty as she stuck her hand out, Betty shook it.

"Nice to meet you Lucie"Betty said "Hum I was wondering, is Daniel, I mean Daniel Meade here?" Lucie laughed a little and Betty frowned her eyebrows a little confused.

"Daniel Meade here at 7:30? Haha"Lucie laughed "He left at 1pm like usually"

"What?"Betty said.

"Well, you know since he's Daniel Meade he can come whenever he wants to"Lucie said rolling her eyes "It's not like if he was the boss of Meade Publications" She said sarcastly. Betty felt this guilty feeling of him being like that because of her and she hated this feeling. "I'm sure he left so that he could have some fun with his new girlfriend or with another girl!"

"And hum Claire Meade, is she here?" Betty asked trying her best to ignore Lucie's last comment.

"Mrs Meade left an hour ago for dinner with her other son, Tyler" Lucie told Betty who just nodded "I'm sorry, almost everyone's already gone, I mean they usually leave at 6pm or 6:30pm… Actually, I'm even almost on my way back home too"

"Yeah" Betty said as she realized that she had nowhere to go at all. Her family wasn't at home, Marc was coming back tomorrow from his work trip if she remembered right and Mrs Meade was already gone for dinner with Tyler. And Daniel, well he was somewhere having fun with some girl. She wondered if it was worthful calling him since he surely wouldn't answer. He never answered a call of hers of a text of hers after he left London months ago where he had come to 'start over'. "Hum I'm just gonna call a friend of mine and tell her that I'm here" She told Lucie who was still standing right in front of her.

"Okay, if you need me, I'm right here! I don't leave before 15 minutes!"Lucie told Betty. Betty smiled gently at her as she pulled out her phone. She dialed the number of one of her friends with who she had kept in good touch since she had gone to London.

"Amanda Tannen Sommers Cannon" She heard her friend reply profesionnaly.

"Hey Amanda, it's me Betty"

"Oh heeey Bettyyy! Look I'd love to talk with you right now but you know the thing I told you that I had to finish about the other thing that I try to get into, well I'm trying to do that thing so that I can into that thing"

"By thing you mean the project for-" Betty started

"Shuu shuu Betty! I don't want any of your English colleagues to hear my idea and to steal it from me so shuu!" Amanda cut her off "Anyway I gotta go so I'll call you later BB! Looovee yaa!" She said before she hung up. Betty sighed as she put her phone back in her jacket's pocket and looked up to see Lucie talking on the phone as she was staring at Betty. Betty took her suitcases and started to walk towards the entrance, ready to leave even if she didn't know where to go. Since she didn't have a place to stay for the night, she decided to call her nephew, never mind the surprise.

"Hey Betty!" Lucie called her, Betty turned around and looked at her "I called her and now she's waiting for you!" She winked at her.

"What?" Betty asked "Who's waiting for me?"

"Wilhelmina Slater" Lucie said making Betty's eyes go wide in surprise.

As the elevator's doors opened, Betty's heart was beating even faster and faster in her chest. She was kind of scared to face Wilhelmina Slater even if they had left on pretty good terms. She remembered how she had been (scarily) nice to her at her launch party.

Betty stepped out of the elevator as she stepped into the Mode's floor. She looked around and realized that it didn't change at all except from the new plants here and there. She noticed that this time, Wilhelmina didn't change the color of the floor from orange to black as soon as she was the editor-in-chief. She started to walk in the empty place, heading to Wilhelmina's office as memories came back in her head.

She arrived in front of Wilhelmina's office and saw that no one was in there.

"I was sure that you would make that mistake" She heard _her_ voice say. Betty turned around to see Wilhelmina Slater in a dark brown tailor, with a little smile on her lips.

"Wilhelmina" Escaped Betty's mouth in almost a whisper. "I'm somehow happy to see you again" making Wilhelmina smile a little more.

"I know it's hard to admit that we both somehow missed each other so let's not say it and everything will be easier for the both of us" Wilhelmina told her as Betty smiled and walked towards her arms opened to hug her "And hum what are you doing with your arms opened like this?"

"I was actually going to hug you" Betty replied, her arms still opened as she stood in front of Wilhelmina.

"Really Betty?" Wilhelmina said her eyebrows raised.

"I guess we could skip that part" Betty said as Wilhelmina turned around and started to walk. Betty followed her.

"You know that I'm the new editor-in-chief at Mode right Betty?" Wilhelmina said as they walked.

"Hum yes I know. Congratulations, you earned it" Betty said genuinely as Wilhelmina stopped walking to look at her. Betty looked at her smiling gently before the blue-eyed woman started to walk again. They arrived in front of her old secretary's office, and she looked at it with sorrow before she looked at Whilelmina entering Daniel's office, her office now. "I have to admit that I thought you would take the two offices like you did a few years ago"

"What for?" Wilhelmina asked as she took a bottle and two glasses next to her desk "I don't need a nursery like I needed back at that time" Betty could hear some sadness in Wilhelmina's voice before the woman sat on the black couch and Betty sat in front of her on the other one. "I decided to give it to Marc a month ago, didn't he tell you?"

"Actually he did" Betty said taking the glass of wine she was handing her "But I thought he was just making fun of me" Wilhelmina took a sip of her glass as she observed Betty.

"He deserved it" Wilhelmina said as she stared at Betty putting her glass down on the coffee table. "So tell me Betty, what are you doing here? In New-York?"

"Well I just wanted to come back home and visit my family and my friends" Betty said shrugging her shoulders.

"So it's just a visit"

"Yeah, it's just a visit" Betty said looking down a little.

"You decide to visit your family and your friends when Dunn's publications need you the most?" Wilhelmina said making Betty look up at her "Mr Dunn is an old friend of mine, Betty. He told me that his company was crashing down more and more every day, he even told me that Alexis Meade called him to know if he was selling his company and he didn't know what to do" Betty looked at Wilhelmina who put her glass down before looking back up into Betty's eyes "And he told me that his best editor-in-chief decided to quit suddenly" Betty gulped as she realized that Wilhelmina had certainly told the Meades.

"Homesick Betty, homesick really?" Wilhelmina told Betty as she took another beer and sat down next to Betty. They were now at Wilhelmina's, the woman was nicer than she used to be as she offered Betty to sleep over for the night. Neither Betty nor Wilhelmina could remember how all of this happened but they were now a little drunk talking in Wilhelmina's living room. Wilhelmina asked her again why she wanted to come back at New-York whereas she had an amazing job at London.

"Well yeah!" Betty said "I didn't know anyone there! I became friend with just a guy called Jack"

"A weirdo or hottie?" Wilhelmina said before drinking.

"Definitely a hottie!" Betty replied "He has like one of the best body I've ever seen!"

"Oooh you and him were more than friends?" Wilhelmina said as she put off her heels and threw them at the opposite of the room.

"No, no at all! I just saw him in the shower once!" Betty explained "Not on purpose of course!"

"Of cooouurse!" Wilhelmina said giggling as she nudged Betty and winked at her.

"He's gay!" Betty told her.

"Oh" Wilhelmina just said.

"Yeah oh" Betty said as she took her beer and drank a little before continuing "And I had Christina with me too"

"Why does that name remind me of something?" Wilhelmina said frowning her eyebrows as she tried to remember.

"Christina is my friend who carried your baby but it turned out it was hers" Betty said.

"Ah" Wilhelmina sighed. "How is doing the little William now?" She asked in a sad voice. Betty looked at her and felt a little sad for her.

"Good" Betty just said.

"I've thought about it a lot you know" Wilhelmina said "If that child was mine then maybe I wouldn't be that sad now"

"Why would you be sad? You've got the job you've always wanted to have!" Betty told her as she put her bottle down.

"I always wanted to have my own magazine Betty! Just like you. And I've done so many things to reach the top but still I don't have my own damn magazine! " Wilhelmina said "And I wanted to marry Connor and have a great family with him… I wanted to have the second chance to have a family and… Be happy"

"You will" Betty said "Maybe not tomorrow but someday you'll be"

"I don't think so… When I look back I realize I don't deserve a happy ending" Wilhelmina said before standing up and falling right back on her couch. "Oh I think I've drunk a little too much" she said as she rested her head on Betty's knees.

"Everyone deserve a happy ending even you Wilhelmina" Betty told her as she stroked her hair.

"Is it love?" Betty heard Wilhelmina mumble.

"What?" Betty asked as Wilhelmina raised her head and pushed Betty's hand away from her hair.

"Is it love that made you come back?" She asked clearier, Betty looked away as she took the glass of cocktail she didn't finish earlier and drank a long sip "It is, isn't it?" Betty never put the glass away from her mouth "Is it Daniel?" Betty's eyes went big "Don't tell me you _love_ Daniel? Oh please Betty there isn't anything anymore in this glass!" she said putting it away from Betty. Betty licked her lips as she looked at Wilhelmina. She opened her mouth to reply when Wilhelmina suddenly stood up and grabbed a vase and threw up in it. Betty made a disgusted face as she took the bottle of pure vodka and drank before making a more disgusted face for the taste in her mouth. Wilhelmina turned her head and looked at Betty "I know that he loves you but you loving him I think I would have never imagined-" She stopped herself as she turned her head back to the vase and threw up again "God that vase costs hundreds of dollars and I'm throwing up in it!" She said before throwing up again. Betty laughed.

"Woah the alcohol is getting way too much in your head Wilhelmina! Daniel loving me? Haha"

"Well that's what he had said in his final letter from the editor before he gave me his place! And I have to admit that it made sense" Wilhelmina said as she stood up and put her vase away.

"I never read his final letter" Betty said to Wilhelmina who walked two steps before sitting down on her carpet not being able to walk a little more to sit down on her couch.

"Well you should" She told her as she pushed her head back.

"Whatever you say" betty said drinking her beer "Daniel doesn't love me at all. I haven't even had any news about him for almost 6 months now! Well except from the people magazine where he was like throwing away all the work he had done to be change and be a better person!"

"Daniel is a complicated person Betty, the sooner you'll know it the better. But he's also an adult, you can't just come from London to New-York just so you can help to be a better person and take care of him!" Wilhelmina said, her head still backed as she was massaging her closed eyes.

"Who told you that I came for him?" Betty asked as Wilhelmina opened her eyes and looked at her with a smirk on her face before she grabbed the opened bottle of beer on the coffee table.

"Not too hard to guess after all you told me"

"It's not just because of him" Betty said as Wilhelmina kept on staring at her "I felt homesick, I really did. I missed my life here in New-York. And I felt guilty of him not being able to keep himself on the right path… Because I knew deep inside, whatever people say, that I always was the only person able to keep him on the right path… Besides I had make a promise to watch over him and I just broke it…"

"It's never too late to repair a broken promise" Wilhelmina told Betty with a little smile.


	2. Welcome Back Home Betty Suarez

Betty couldn't believe that she and Wilhelmina Slater had spent the night together like if they were two friends. The pain in her head was starting to fade away now but the memories of their night not at all. Betty was staring at Wilhelmina trying to understand what happened to that woman who used to be a heartless manipulative person.

"Are you going to stare at me until we arrive?" Wilhelmina asked without looking away from her phone in her hands. They were sat in Wilhelmina's car as they were driven to Mode well Wilhelmina was driven to Mode and Betty was just going to go home after.

"Hum, I'm sorry Wilhelmina. It's just that I don't understand what happened last night" Betty told her. Wilhelmina looked up at her and after a moment she sighed.

"We had a little too much of drinks and we ended up sleeping in my living room because we couldn't walk to the bedrooms and then we woke up with a hangover that's it Betty." Wilhelmina told her.

"Yeah but do you remember what happened last night exactly?"

"Betty, if you think that we slept together I'm sorry to break your little dream, you're not my type" She told her before she looked back down at her phone to answer a text she received.

"No, it's not what I mean!"Betty said shaking her head "I just know that when I'm drunk I usually talk a lot; way too much"

"If only I knew that years back" Wilhelmina said with an amused smile "Look, Betty, we just talked like two women. We talked about you quitting your job at London, about your family and we talked about me and well that's it Betty! You don't have to worry you didn't say a thing that could go be awfully bad for you or anyone else." Betty nodded.

"But I still don't understand… Why were you so nice to me yesterday?" Betty asked.

"I thought you didn't remember?" Wilhelmina said frowning her eyerbows.

"I don't remember what happened when I was drunk… But I do remember what happened before in your office and in the way to your home" Betty explained as Wilhelmina turned her head and looked outside the window.

"Who knows" Wilhelmina started to say "Maybe it's because I was manipulating you to get something in return" Betty looked at her as the car stopped right in front of the Meade building. Wilhelmina didn't wait for her driver to open her door as she opened it and got out of the car. Before closing the door, Wilhelmina looked at Betty "Or maybe because I needed someone to help me change my mind" Betty saw the sorrow in Wilhelmina's eyes before the woman put her black glasses on "Drive Betty to her house, she has to see her family before she comes back here at 4pm"

"What? Why do you want me to come back at 4pm?" Betty asked confused.

"Because if I get it right you're out of a job now and I could certainly use you to fill the place you let when you left a few months ago" Wilhelmina said before closing the door. Betty knew she would have to look for a job when she'd got back here but she never knew she would get one as fast as that. But somehow she didn't know if she really wanted to get back to Mode. She sighed before telling the driver her father's address.

"Thank you!" Betty told the driver once he pulled out her suitcases before he got back in his car.

"AB?" She heard Justin's voice scream, she turned around to see her nephew with his boyfriend Austin walking towards her father's house. They looked so cute together and she saw the both of them have a huge smile on their lips as they saw her.

"Justin!"She said loudly and happily as they ran towards each other. She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him as tightly as he was hugging her. "Oh my God, I missed you so much!"

"I missed you too AB! But what are you doing here? In the Queens, shouldn't you be in London?" He told her before they pulled apart and she put her hands on Justin's cheeks and smiled before she looked at Austin who was standing a little away to let them have their moment.

"Austin! Come here! I missed you too!" She told him making him smile as she hugged him "Wow, you both got even taller than before!"

"How are you Betty?" Austin asked as they pulled apart.

"I'm great! Even more now that I've seen you! Both of you!" She smiled at them.

"So Betty what are you doing here?" Justin asked her since she hadn't replied when he asked the first time.

"Well, I came back to see all of you!" She only told him

"You should have told us, we would have picked you up at the airport!" Justin told her.

"Oh no, I wanted to make a surprise when I came last night but no one was free obviously" She said smiling. "Come on, let's go inside, I didn't miss just you two, I missed everybody!"She said as she carried her suitcases.

"Let me, I'll take them!"Austin said as he tried to take the suitcases in her hands. She let him take one as she walked with them to the door. They opened the door quietly before Justin decided to call his grandpa.

"Dios mio, Justin, I already told you not to shout in this house when you come in in a sneaky way!" Betty couldn't help but giggle at her father's sentence as she and Austin stayed next to the front door and Justin walked towards the kitchen.

"Well, I just wanted to tell you that your daughter came back!" Betty heard her nephew say.

"Why your mother would be back so soon? Don't tell me she needs money!" She heard her father say as his footsteps were becoming closer "Hilda, I told you not to-" He stopped as he saw his other daughter standing there. His little Betty was back. He couldn't believe his eyes. "Mija"

"Papi!" She said before she walked towards him and they collided into a tight hug. "Oh my God,I missed you so much Papi!"

"I missed you too mija!" He said "I'm so happy you are here!"

"I am happy too Papi!"She said as they pulled away and he put his hands on her cheeks just like she had done to Justin earlier. "Oh mija you look sooo grown-up!"He said before kissing her forehead and pulling her into a hug again.

"Ignacio I was wondering if- Betty!" Elena, Ignacio's nurse and official girlfriend for a few months now, said. Ignacio let go of Betty so that she could hug Elena.

"Elena, it's good to see you!" Betty said genuinely. She knew that woman made her father happy and took care of him, for that she always liked her.

"No, Betty, it's good to see you!"Elena said as they hugged. "But what are you doing here?" She asked her curiously as they pulled away.

"She came to visit us, isn't it great?" Justin said excited as Austin smiled at him.

"Yes, this is great but how long are you going to stay? Because you know your sister isn't coming before after tomorrow!"Ignacio told Betty.

"I know but don't worry about it" She told her father who smiled at her before squeezing his eyes as he stared at her. "What?"

"You seem a little tired" He told her

"Well, I had a rough night" She said.

"The jet lag" Elena said nodding her head.

"No, not really. It's just that I spent a kind of crazy night at Wilhelmina's" Betty said waving it off.

"Wilhelmina? Like Wilhelmina Slater?" Austin said surprised and confused "I thought she was…"

"An evil?" Ignacio said

"A crazy rich bitch?" Elena said quickly after Ignacio.

"A genius?" Justin said. Betty and everybody else frowned their eyebrows looking at him.

"Hum, well yeah that evil" Betty started to say glancing at her father " crazy rich bitch" She glanced at Elena "And genius" She now glanced at her nephew who always admired Wilhelmina Slater " Wilhelmina Slater" She now looked at Austin "But she wasn't any of that last night! She was really kind to me" Everybody, even Justin, seemed surprised. "Anyway, I have to admit that I miss my bed so before we start with all the questions you guys seem to have, can someone help me carry my suitcases up in my bedroom?" She grinned at them.

"Hum mi amor"Ignacio started as she took a suitcase in her hand and started to walk the stairs up.

"No Papi, save the questions for later please!"She said as she was followed by everybody. "I missed my bedroom!" She said smiling as she opened the door. Her smile faded away when she saw that this room wasn't her bedroom anymore. There were tuff stuffs here and there and her bed wasn't there anymore. "What happened to my bedroom?" She asked slowly.

"Hum since you were gone we decided we could get your bedroom to make it the tuff stuff's room you know?"Her father said smiling nervously at her.

"Since when are you into tuff stuffs?" She asked him.

"Well, it was my idea!"Elena said "I suggested him to buy some so that he could do a little bit of sport for his health"

"But Papi kind of got obsessed with all the promotions and gifts so he bought more and more" Justin said to his aunt.

"Oh" Betty just said "And how did Hilda took it?"

"What do you mean?" Ignacio asked her confused.

"Well, I know she never wanted you to touch her bedroom so-"

"It's just your bedroom sweetie" Elena told her smiling gently at her. "But don't worry we didn't throw your stuffs, and you can sleep in Hilda's bedroom"

"Oh hum thanks" Betty said. She was sad but she knew she couldn't be mad at them, she never said she would ever be back.

"I'm sorry honey I didn't know you would take it like that" She turned to her father and shook her head

"No, no! I'm just… Just a little tired" She told him smiling weakly at him. Well, Elena why don't you finish cooking and you, the boys, why don't you Put Betty's stuffs in Hilda's bedroom?" They all nodded and left them as Betty walked inside her old bedroom and looked at the wall in front of her windows, there was still the painting she had done when she was a little girl. Ignacio walked next to her "I wanted to leave it here, I couldn't do it. It's your bedroom after all"

"It was" She corrected him. "Plus a painting isn't going to change the fact that it's not my bedroom anymore" She walked towards a flat bike and sat down on it.

"Betty"Ignacio started to say.

"I didn't come to visit Papi" She told him. He frowned his eyebrows, confused. "I quit"

"You quit? But why? What happened?" He asked as he walked towards her

"Because I'm stupid" She replied as she put her head down on the handlebars "Wilhelmina told me that I made a good choice since Dunn Publications is going to be over very soon because of the fund, so I'm not that stupid. But" Her father looked at her with his arms crossed over his chest "But when I wrote my resignation letter, I didn't know anything about the fund issues… I missed you all so much and…" Betty bit her bottom lip, a new habit she had made since her braces were gone. Ignacio knew that his daughter was going to tell him the real reason but he also knew she needed time so he didn't rush her and waited for her to talk. She sighed as she raised her head back up "I miss him! And I'm the reason why he turned into this! I was supposed to be there for him, Papi! I had promised to Mr Meade that I would watch over Daniel and that I would be there to keep him on the right path but I left and when Daniel came to London I didn't even go to our dinner and we had this fight before he left and since then he didn't talk to me! He doesn't want to! And I miss him, I really do! I miss him" She was now crying and Ignacio took her in his arms.

"I know Betty, I know" He rubbed his daughter back gently as he tried to comfort her.

It was almost 3 in the afternoon when Betty woke up from her two hours nap she had after she had lunch with her father and his girlfriend and her nephew and his boyfriend. She looked up at the ceiling as she was laying in her sister's bed when the door opened and she saw Justin standing at the doorway.

"I was going to wake you up so that you could go at that meeting with Wilhelmina but I see you're already awake " He told her softly. "You're feeling any better?" He asked her, she nodded as she sat up.

"Wait" She told him as he was going to leave her alone "Come here"She said patting the bed, he obliged and sat down next to her "You didn't say a thing when I told everybody that I quit my job when we were having lunch" He looked down "Why?" She put her hand under his chin and made him raise his head.

"Because Papi told us to not ask too much questions" He said but as she kept on looking at him he sighed and answered honestly "Because I didn't know what to say exactly… I mean, you aunt Betty, you've always blown me away with your decisions and-"

"Now I disappointed you" She said sadly.

"What? No!" He exclaimed. "You didn't disappoint me, you blew me away more than you've ever done before!" Betty looked at her eyes full of confusion. "You had gone to do a job miles and miles away from your family, your friends, your home and you were on the top of the glory! But you chose to sacrifice all that for the love of your life!"

"What?" Betty asked.

"You did all of this because of Daniel! I know it don't you dare denying it!"

"God, don't tell me Papi told you guys-"

"Papi didn't tell us anything AB! He doesn't need to! It's so obvious! I mean everytime we've skipped or talked in the phone you've always been asking about Daniel and then you suddenly stopped… Besides, when you were sleeping Christina called and she kind of let it slip that you came here because you felt guilty about Daniel"

"Christina!"Betty groaned.

"But you know Betty, if you didn't care that much about him well then you'd not have to feel guilty" He told her

"No, Justin you got it wrong!" Betty said "Daniel and I are just friends… Well, we were just friends, best friends. But I don't love him like that." She saw her nephew's eyebrows frown as his smile faded away a little.

"So, you didn't come back because you've realized your real feelings about him?" Justin asked in a little voice.

"I know you'd love all of this to be that romantic but no, I'm sorry" Betty replied " I really love him a lot and I care about him but no, I'm not in love with Daniel." Justin nodded before he hugged her quickly.

"Whatever, it's good to have you back here!"He told her. She smiled as he left the room but her smile faded away a little as she started to wonder about her real feelings for Daniel. She shook her head, _no it's not love,_ she thought. _It can't be._

When Betty arrived at Meade at 4pm, she wasn't greeted by the receptionist of the previous night but by another woman who looked a lot less friendly than Lucie was. As she was alone in the elevator, she straightened her black dress and breathed deeply trying to calm herself down. She knew that she was going to see some people she knew today and she was nervous to see some of them whose last name were Meade. When the elevator's doors opened, Betty saw many people running here and there; she smiled, loving to see that Mode didn't lose its energy. She walked a few steps and arrived next to the big orange donnut where her friend Amanda used to work. But the place was empty right now, so she decided to keep on walking as people passed her by and she realized that there wasn't a lot of new people here but a lot of them seemed to not recognize her or maybe too busy to recognize her. She arrived in front of Daniel's old office and looked at her old desk where a little Asian girl was sat and talking to the phone. She turned her head to look inside nowWilhelmina's office to see her shake hands with two men before they opened the door and left, Wilhelmina looked through the big window and saw Betty standing there. She raised an eyebrow as she walked out of her office.

"Well Betty, two following days, well-dressed like a pretty professional woman, London was very benefit to you" She said to Betty as she arrived in front of her. Betty didn't say a thing. "Did you rest after the hangover we had this morning?"

"Yeah a little" Betty simply replied.

"Good" Wilhelmina said before she looked at her new assistant who just hung up "You, bring us two coffees and hum do you want to eat something Betty?"

"No, I'm fine"Betty said.

"Just two coffees then" Wilhelmina said before she and Betty went in her office. "I should close the curtains so we could have some privacy. I don't want everybody to notice you're here before we could have a chance to talk. Take a seat" Betty sat on the couch she had sat last night.

"You used to be more talkative Betty" Wilhelmina said as she took some files and sat down on the other couch, across Betty.

"I remembered a few things about last night" Betty said making Wilhelmina froze "About what I told you and… What you told me" Betty stared at Wilhelmina. Wilhelmina didn't want Betty to think that Wilhelmina was sad and not that powerful than she made herself seem. "I wanted to say that whatever was said, I will keep it to me… And, well it was a weirdly nice and interesting night" Betty smiled gently at Wilhelmina as this one looked up at Betty, she saw the honesty all over her face and felt some kind of relief.

"Yeah, a weirdly nice and interesting night" Wilhelmina repeated "But, let's not make it an habit, I don't want to fill my vases with vomit again" Betty giggled slightly as she heard a knock on the door before the assistant came in with the two coffees. Betty thanked the assistant as Wilhelmina tried her best to make disappear the smile forming on her lips. She never wanted to admit it but she always liked a little Betty, and since she came back from London, she surely liked her more.

"Well now if you could just wait a few minutes, I'll be right back" Wilhelmina said to Betty before leaving her office and heading to the meeting room. She had told Claire to make her son Daniel wait with her because she had something important to tell them.

As she arrived, she saw Daniel and his mother arguing as Daniel was going to leave.

"Well Daniel you're not a patient man, are you" Wilhelmina said as she stopped him from leaving.

"You made us wait for like 20 minutes Wilhelmina, whatever you've gotta tell us, it has to be very important!" Daniel said annoyed.

"Well, you do remember the last time I came to ask you to hire a new editor and you told me to find a new one on my own and you slept with the one I found and then she sued you for sexual harassment " Wilhelmina said.

"Go to your point, I've got a date!" Daniel groaned as he untied his blue tie.

"Don't tell me she came back?" Claire asked worried as she walked towards Wilhelmina.

"No, not at all" She replied "I just found another woman who could totally fit in this place" Wilhelmina said very proud of herself.

"Really? And you couldn't wait tomorrow to tell us this?" Daniel asked.

"Daniel, I've got to admit that I kind of miss the old you, the broken-hearted one who was so nice and gentle with everyone even me" Wilhelmina told him making him glare at her.

"Well, Wilhelmina this is good but the problem is that we cannot afford a new editor. We've already had 3 new editors for Player and Hot Flash and besides nowadays it's safer not to throw money if we don't want to end up like Dunn Publications" Claire said, Wilhelmina saw Daniel's eyes look down when his mother mentioned Dunn Publications and she understood quickly the reason why. "You could just ask Marc to make a longer article and all the other editors you've got oh and ask Janice to write an article like she did last month and the month before, so that you can fill all your pages" Claire suggested.

"I've already asked Marc to write a longer article and of course he accepted but without being mean Janice isn't meant to be a writer at all. I think she is the reason why Mode lost a few readers and I don't know what prevent me from firing her" Wilhelmina said as she put her hands on her hips.

"As my mother told you, we can't afford another editor so act like an editor-in-chief and find a solution" Daniel told Wilhelmina a little sharply as he turned around ready to leave.

"I found a solution! She is sitting in my office right now!" Wilhelmina told him "She's waiting for you to come and welcome her back!" She looked at Claire "She's waiting for both of you"

"Who is waiting Wilhelmina?" Claire asked her eyebrows frowned as she was puzzled "You said that she was waiting for us to welcome her _back_ home, who is it?" Wilhelmina looked at Daniel to see him looking at her without moving before she looked back at Claire and raised an eyebrow at her.

"Betty?" Claire said in a whisper as she put her hand on her mouth. Wilhelmina looked back at Daniel who didn't move an inch at all.

"Betty" Wilhelmina repeated before Claire immediately left the meeting room and walked as fast as she could to Wilhelmina's office.

"Betty! Oh my God!" Wilhelmina and Daniel and certainly the whole floor heard Claire scream happily. Wilhelmina saw Daniel walk two steps and stare at the direction his mother went by to arrive to the place where his best friend that he hasn't seen for 6 months now, was.

"Go, Daniel" Wilhelmina told Daniel softly. He glanced at her.

"I have a date" He told her before walking to the elevators. Wilhelmina was shocked as she looked at him walking towards the elevators, she quickly glanced to the way towards her office and let out a groan before she walked fast behind Daniel to stop him.

"She is waiting for you Daniel! The girl you've written your whole final editor before giving me Mode! The girl you claim is your best friend! She is right here waiting for you and you want to go to a date?" Wilhelmina told him almost shouting.

"Why do you care so much Wilhelmina?" He shouted at her "And why did you have to hire her before telling me? You planned all of this to destroy me, admit it!"

"Did you try to put yourself in her place at least once?" She asked him "She tried to put herself in your place, that's why she's here today Daniel. She came back for you" the elevator's doors opened and he just got in it.

"For me, really? But what for? I don't need her!" He told her.

"Well that's not what she saw in the people magazines" She said, he looked at her before the doors closed and she sighed. At least she had tried, she thought as she walked back to her office.

When she arrived she saw Claire laughing with Betty as she was whipping her tears away.

"I see you're happy of the choice I made for once" Wilhelmina said as she walked in.

"This is the best choice you ever made so far" Claire said as she looked down at Betty who smiled "Where is Daniel?" Wilhelmina saw Betty's eyes light up at the mention of Daniel.

"He had an important call and had to go but he promised to see you later" Wilhelmina lied as Betty just nodded as Claire knew her son preferred going to his date than facing Betty after all that time.

"So Betty, you're starting back with us next week?"Claire smiled down at Betty.

"What next week are you talking about Claire?"Wilhelmina said "She's starting after tomorrow at first light"

"Of course!"Betty said "I could even come tomorrow if you want, I mean I'm so happy and excited to be back here that I can start even right now!" Claire giggled at how cute Betty was.

"Well, that is quite tempting but I want you to first get rid of that jet lag" Wilhelmina told Betty with a little smile that Claire noticed and made her smile before she looked back down at Betty.

"She's right, you should recover from jet lag before" They all turned their heads to the doorway of the office to see Daniel standing there with a little smile on his face. Claire smiled as she put her hands on her heart, Wilhelmina crossed her arms on her chest as she looked at Daniel understood that what she had said to him made him come back she smirked proud of herself.

"Daniel" Betty said in a little broken voice as she walked towards him and he walked towards her. He missed her voice saying his name.

"Betty" He said smiling gently at her. She missed his voice saying her name. They collided into a tight hug.

"Daniel, I missed you so much" She whispered in his ear.

"I missed you too" He whispered back as he breathed the vanilla scent in her hair, he hugged her tighter and she closed her eyes letting tears fall down on her cheeks. "More than you'll ever know" He said before closing his eyes and kissing her head, on her perfumed hair. He sighed, she was back for him. _His_ Betty was back. "Welcome back home Betty Suarez" He whispered softly.


	3. Friendship Set On Fire

**Chapter 3 :** **Friendship Set On Fire**

Betty sighed as she looked down at her laptop screen. It has been a week that Betty had come back to New-York and not everything was going right. She was working as an editor for Wilhelmina Slater who had a lot of swing moods, she could be the sweet Wilhelmina or the extremely old mean Wilhelmina. Marc had come back from his work trip and she was happy to have a genuine hug from him as he was very happy to see her back here, Mandy had come to Ignacio's house two days after Betty's return because she couldn't believe that Betty was back. Hilda and Bobby were really happy and surprised that Betty was back but they didn't judge her choice as much as she thought they would, especially Hilda. Betty was still looking for a new apartment because she didn't want to stay at her father's house where Elena had moved in and where she had to sleep at Hilda's room because her bedroom wasn't hers anymore.

But except from the fact that Wilhelmina was making her work really hard and that she didn't have her own place, the real thing that wasn't going right at all was her relationship with Daniel. She had barely seen him since that day when they were at Wilhelmina's office. They had a lot to catch up but everytime she proposed him to hang out or to have lunch together he said he couldn't because he already had things to do. And it hurt her when she understood that he was avoiding her and prefered to have fun with some girls, making his reputation even worse than the one he had 5 years ago.

Betty was pulled out of her thoughts by Marc's voice.

ʺ Okay Suarez, it's great to have you back here and to share _my office _with you but it isn't great at all when all you do is _sigh _loudly! ʺ

ʺ I'm sorry Marc, it's just that Wilhelmina wants me to find something for the next issue and she wants me to have it for tomorrow morning! ʺ Betty explained sighing.

ʺ Speaking of Willy ʺ Marc said standing up from his desk which is where Wilhelmina's old desk was, and walked towards Betty's desk, right in front of his. She looked up at him. ʺ What did you do to her? ʺ His eyes narrowed in suspicion.

ʺ I didn't do anything to her ʺ Betty replied.

ʺ Come on Betty, it can't be your new style and outfits that turned her into a nice Wilhelmina towards you. I mean, she's been more nice than bad to you since you came back! And you weren't that close to each other before you left even if she said that she was going to miss you I don't think that is a reason ʺ Marc said as he sat on her desk. Betty smiled, amused when she understood.

ʺ You are afraid that I might take your place ʺ Betty told him.

ʺ I'm not afraid! I know you'll never be able to take my place! ʺ He said as Betty nodded.

ʺ You're right Marc. She'll never replace you, she really loves you even if she doesn't show it ʺ Betty told him as she rested her chin on her hand.

ʺ Yeah ʺ Marc said looking at the wall ʺ I've been her assistant and confident for years now ʺ Marc turned his head to look down at Betty ʺ I've done things that even in your wildest dreams you wouldn't be able to imagine ʺ He whispered making big eyes twice. Betty looked at him with big eyes and eyebrows frowned. ʺ Anyway! I only wanted to make sure that you knew Willy is my Willy and not your Willy, so I hope to never hear you call her Willy again ʺ

ʺ I never ever called her Willy, Marc! ʺ Betty said defensly.

ʺ Right. Well, don't start. ʺ Marc said as Betty looked back down at her laptop screen ʺ I've heard you didn't catch up with _him_ yet ʺ Marc said in a low and serious voice making Betty sigh ʺ And here we go again with the sighs! I'm sure most of them are because of _him_ ʺ Betty looked up at him as she bit down on her bottom lip.

ʺ I tried to see him but he doesn't have the time, he's really busy you know. But, he told me we'll catch up later ʺ Betty said quickly avoiding Marc's eyes.

ʺ Why don't you call him? Or text him? ʺ Marc suggested.

ʺ He's really busy ʺ Betty said as she started to type her previous ideas again and again just so Marc would think she's busy too and won't continue this conversation.

ʺ He doesn't reply, does he? ʺ Marc said with a voice sounding like if he was pretty sad for Betty.

ʺ Marc, I don't want to talk about it. ʺ Betty said.

ʺ Alright! I just... ʺ Marc said standing up ʺ Nevermind ʺ he saw Betty's sad expression and understood that she probably wanted to be alone. ʺ It's getting late, I'm going to go back home... You can come with me if you want? I'm sure Mandy would be very happy to see ʺ He told her softly, she shook her head.

ʺ No, I'm gonna stay a little longer ʺshe said never looking up at him. Marc said a low 'okay' before taking his belongings and heading to the door. He turned his head to Betty and sighed.

ʺ Don't let Daniel be such a stupid jerk ʺ He said to her ʺ And don't let him hurt you like that. He doesn't answer to your phone calls, your texts, then screw him! ʺ Betty turned her head quickly and stared at him with her eyebrows raised in a sort of shock. ʺ Okay, I know you'll never screw him. Not in any possible way. But you know if I'd ever wanted to talk really badly to someone, especially someone that I care very much about, I wouldn't wait for them to let me in. I would prevent them from going anywhere, I would force them to listen to me... Afterall, you've always been there to listen to him... ʺ

ʺ I'll try to pass by, to say hi ʺ Betty said.

ʺ Cool ʺhe smiled gently at her ʺ But don't come too late because I will probably be already sleeping at midnight after this long day! ʺ Marc added in his usual tone.

UB UB UB UB UB

It was already 10 pm when Betty had finished as good as she could, her work. She gathered her things and took her little purple jacket that she decided to hold in her arms since it wasn't that cold on this night of mid-september. She closed the door's office and started to walk towards the elevators in silence, everybody had already gotten home by now. She pushed the elevator's button as she received a text saying that a car town would pick her up in 10 minutes. The elevator's doors opened making her raise her head and that's when she saw Daniel with a model, kissing and pratically making out in the elevator. She didn't know why her heart seemed to break at that moment. The couple stopped kissing and they both looked at Betty.

ʺ Hum, I-I'm gonna take the other elevator ʺ Betty succeded to say, avoiding Daniel's eyes.

ʺ Oh it's okay, we can keep our hands off of each other for a little while ʺthe blonde model said as she looked up and down at Betty. Betty could feel Daniel's eyes on her but she didn't want to look at him at all right now. She stepped into the elevator and turned around to give her back to the couple.

ʺ You worked late ʺ Daniel said in a little voice.

ʺ Yeah ʺ Betty just said, never turning around.

ʺ Does Wilhelmina make you work hard? ʺ Daniel asked ʺ I can ask her to slow down on you ʺ Betty could here the sincerity in his voice and for a moment she felt like if everything could go back to normal if she talked to him right now, but it wasn't without counting the model's presence and her whispered sentence that followed Daniel's.

ʺ You know what tonight _I am_ going to work you hard ʺ The model said. Betty heard noises of kisses and guessed that the model was kissing Daniel. Betty looked up at the numbers, they were now at the 16th floor, she tried not to show that her body had tensed even more as she bit down hard on her botttom lip.

ʺ Shh ʺ Daniel said to that woman with him. Betty heard her phone rang and she felt relieved to have something to listen to instead of the model's moans.

ʺ Hey Jack! ʺ Betty replied, Daniel turned his head to look at Betty wondering who that Jack was. ʺ I'm fine and you?... No, I'm just leaving work right now... Yeah a little and you?... ʺ Daniel couldn't stop wondering who she was talking to and why she was talking so low. ʺ You're sure it's mine? Maybe it's yours, who knows?... ʺ The elevator's doors opened and Daniel was looking at Betty leaving it and still talking in the phone before he was pulled out of the elevator by the model.

ʺ You're okay Daniel? ʺshe asked him. Daniel whose eyes were still glued to Betty walking, licked his lips as he nodded. ʺ I hope you're still in the mood for tonight ʺshe said seductively as she brushed her hands on his arms. He looked at her when Betty wasn't on his sight anymore and smirked.

ʺ Of course I am ʺ He told her before she kissed him on the lips ʺ Let's go, a car is waiting for us ʺ

When they arrived out of the building they saw Betty talking to his driver. She turned around and their eyes met for a moment before she turned back to the driver. ʺ Is there a problem? ʺ Daniel asked as he and the tall blonde girl arrived next to the town car.

ʺ No, there's no problem. I just thought it was my town car ʺ Betty explained ʺ But James is actually here for you ʺ Daniel nodded.

ʺ Oh well then let's go! ʺthe girl said as she climbed in the car.

ʺ You can take it if you want ʺ Daniel offered Betty.

ʺ No, no it's okay. I'll wait for mine ʺ Betty replied.

ʺ Daniel, are you coming or what? ʺ Daniel looked at the backseat door by where the woman had climbed- _What was her name already?-_ then he looked at Betty and thought that he should ask her to hang out tomorrow to catch up but he soon remembered that she was the one supposed to make the first step.

ʺ Goodnight ʺhe just told her, his eyes filled with sorrow.

ʺ Goodnight ʺ She nodded.

When the car left, Betty sighed heavily as she looked up to the sky. Betty realized it was the first time since she came back that he was actually acknowledging her (except when he had welcomed her back), maybe he was a little embarrassed of the situation or... he's starting to weaken? Betty shivered as she realized she just had the same kind of thoughts Wilhelmina would have before planning a machiavellan plan.

UB UB UB UB UB

The next morning Betty wanted to be nice and bring breakfast for Amanda and Marc since she didn't pass by their apartment the previous night. The sun was shinning and Betty decided to put on a simple blue sundress with a white little vest, she had pulled her hair up in a ponytail. She stopped walking when she noticed a firetruck right in front of her old building, where Marc and Amanda still lived. She walked faster and arrived next to the crowd of people. She saw Marc and Amanda a little further and said to a fireman that she had to pass when Amanda turned her head and saw Betty.

ʺ Bettyyy! ʺ Amanda shouted as she was pouting, Marc had his head in his hands and didn't turn around. Betty was allowed to pass and she immediately walked towards her two friends.

ʺ My God, what happened? ʺ Betty said as Amanda jumped on Betty and hugged her.

ʺ What do you think happened? Our whole apartment just burnt ʺ Marc said as he put his head off his hands and looked at Betty

ʺ How did it happen? ʺ Betty asked as Amanda pulled away and looked at the bags Betty was carrying.

ʺ We don't know yet ʺ Amanda said looking down at the bags ʺ Is that a brownie? And is this coffee? ʺ She said pointing at the things in the bags.

ʺ Yeah, I was coming to have breakfast with you ʺ Betty told her as Amanda immediately took the bags.

ʺ Oh God, I'm starving! All this stress isn't good for me at all! Plus I have so many things to do today ʺ Amanda started to say before she bit in a brownie and started to eat.

ʺ And are you alright? ʺ Betty asked as Amanda handed to Marc a brownie.

ʺ Yeah we are so alright! It's just our apartment and our stuffs that got burnt, it's no big deal!ʺ Marc replied sarcastly as he refused the brownie.

ʺ Marc ʺ Betty said gently ʺ At least you guys are fine and that's all that matters ʺ Amanda nodded as she was chewing on the second brownie.

ʺ No, Betty I would have prefered to die! ʺ Marc told her.

ʺ Hey Betty can I have your brownie? They are really good! ʺ Amanda asked but she didn't wait for an answer and took the other brownie.

ʺ Marc, you can't say things like that! ʺ Betty said.

ʺ Everything we owned are burnt Betty and with that my whole research and article for Willy too! She's going to kill me! ʺ Marc said.

ʺ At least she won't fire you ʺ Amanda said drinking some orange juice she found in Betty's bag.

ʺ Don't you ever say fire again in my presence. I don't want to hear that word anymore no matter in which way you use it ʺ Marc told Amanda in a way too dramatic before a fireman arrived.

ʺ You are lucky Mr St James and Miss hum? ʺ The fireman said.

ʺ Amanda Tanen Sommers Cannon, but you can call me Mandy ʺ Amanda told him winking seductively.

ʺ Hum, yeah ʺthe fireman said awkwardly ʺ Anyway, I just wanted to tell you that you are lucky, the fire didn't destroy your whole apartment- ʺ

ʺ Is my bedroom okay? ʺ Marc cut off the fireman. Betty looked at how desesperate he looked like.

ʺ Hum, I just wanted to give you this document- ʺ The fireman said frowning his eyebrows as he was puzzled.

ʺ Is. My. Bedroom. Okay? ʺ Marc repeated cutting him off again.

ʺ Marc ʺ Betty said before he held up his hand at her and stepped in front of the fireman.

ʺ The one right next to the bathroom? ʺ The fireman asked.

ʺ No, no! The other one! ʺ Marc had now his hands gripped at the fireman's uniform and Betty tried to pull him away.

ʺ Oh, that one is okay! The fire stopped right before this one! ʺ

ʺ Thanks God! ʺ Marc sighed relieved as Betty finally succeded to put his hands off the fireman.

ʺ Hum here is the document you have to fill, you can call the number on it for explanations ʺ The fireman said handing the document to Betty before walking away, he obviously didn't want to stay with them.

ʺ Thank you! ʺ Marc said to the fireman with a big happy smile on his face.

ʺ So why don't we go back in our apartment if the fire is done and everything is okay? ʺ Amanda asked.

ʺ Because you can't ʺ Betty replied as she was reading the document ʺ I'm sorry but even if Marc's bedroom hasn't been touched at all by the fire, this document is saying that half of your apartment is gone now and you have to look for a new one ʺ

UB UB UB UB UB

ʺ I have to say that I heard better from you Betty ʺ Wilhelmina sighed in the meeting room after Betty's pitch ʺ But I think that if you combinated your two ideas well then it could turned into a great one. But try to let it simple ʺ Betty nodded as she sat down ʺ Who's next? ʺ

ʺ Hum Miss Slater ʺ Wilhelmina's assistant, Simeng, said.

ʺ What Simeng? ʺ Wilhelmina asked annoyed.

ʺ It's time for your appointment, the one with you know who ʺ She replied in a whisper. Wilhelmina cocked an eyebrow.

ʺ Oh, well. We'll finish this meeting later ʺ Wilhelmina said as she stood up from her seat and walked towards a frustrated Marc ʺ Marc, come on I don't have the time to talk so spill it out ʺ

ʺ What? ʺ Marc said as he stood up from his seat.

ʺ What is wrong with you? You didn't push everyone to be the first to say your pitch, so what's the matter? ʺ Wilhelmina asked him when Betty's phone rang.

ʺ My apartment burnt this morning and I have to look for a new place because apparently we can't stay in there ʺ He sighed as his shoulders fell.

ʺ Oh just that? ʺ Wilhelmina said when suddenly they heard Betty scream with happiness.

ʺ Really? Already? I have the apartment I visited yesterday? Oh my God! Thank you so much! ʺ

ʺ Well, you could ask help for Betty's realtor, they seem pretty good ʺ Wilhelmina said to Marc before walking away towards her office. Marc turned his head at Betty as he heard her say that she couldn't come and get the keys but they could come to her office at lunch time. Marc narrowed his eyes.

UB UB UB UB UB

It was now 5pm and Betty had signed the contract for the new apartment she had visited the day before and had 3 keys. She had told Marc and she offered him and Amanda to sleep at her father's house since her new apartment wasn't ready to receive anyone but he told her that they were already staying at one of Amanda's friend. Betty received a text from Lucie:

_**James is here waiting for you, you have to hurry up though.**_

Betty replied with a simple _**ok**_ before she looked up at Marc.

ʺ Well, Marc, I've gotta go ʺ She said grabbing her stuffs and heading to the door.

ʺ Yeah, yeah ʺhe said waving his hand at her as he was typing on his laptop.

ʺ I know it wasn't the best day of your life but I'm sure, in no time everything will be fine ʺ Betty said gently.

ʺ Okay, I got it, can I finish my work so that I can leave too? ʺ Marc told her.

ʺ Yeah, sorry. Goodnight! ʺ She told him before pratically running to the elevators. Marc continued typing for a few minutes before he stopped and stood up. He walked towards the door and glanced everywhere before closing it. He walked towards the vase next to Betty's desk and slidded his hand in it. He pulled out something from there before smiling a machiavellian smile.

UB UB UB UB UB

ʺ Wow a limo for me? ʺ Daniel asked as he walked towards his driver.

ʺ Yes, Mr Meade, not a single town car was avaible and yours is at the garage mechanic ʺ James replied as he opened the door for Daniel.

ʺ Oh, it's okay I don't mind ʺ Daniel told him ʺ I'm actually going to meet a model in a french restaurant, it might impress her to know that the drive back to my apartment will be in a limo ʺ

ʺ There is no doubt about that ʺ James replied making Daniel smile before he climbed in and James closed the door behind him.

15 minutes later Daniel looked up from his cellphone as he was sat comfortably in the limo. He looked through the window thinking that they had finally arrived when he noticed that they were in the turnpike. He pushed the button that allowed him to talk to the driver.

ʺ Hum can you tell me what we're doing in the turnpike? ʺ Daniel asked but there wasn't any reply ʺ Do you want me to tell you again the restaurant's adress? ʺ Daniel asked. He was starting to panick now. ʺ Do you hear me? Okay, you know what? Just drive me back to Meade! I'm talking to you! Stop the car now! ʺ Daniel said when the car turned to a country road ʺ I'm calling the police right now! ʺ He said before grabbing his phone and started to call when suddenly he saw the tinted glass slidded down.

ʺ No, don't Daniel! It's just me! ʺ Daniel frowned his eyebrows as he stared at the driver who was no one else but Betty.

ʺ Betty? ʺ He said in disbelief as he hung up. ʺ What are you doing here? Are you kidnapping me? ʺ

ʺ No, no it's not what it seems! I just wanted to talk with you ʺ Betty said in defense.

ʺ So you decided to kidnap me? ʺ

ʺ No! Daniel, this isn't kidnapping! I just didn't know what to do and Marc suggested me to kind of not letting you go anywhere and to force you to listen to me so I had this idea to do task James to let me drive you! ʺ Betty told him as she kept her eyes glued to the empty road.

ʺ Betty, we can talk later if you want. But right now I'm gonna be late for- ʺ

ʺ For your date! Yeah I know but no! I don't want you to promise me that we'll catch up later because you have something to do or someone! ʺ Betty cut him off ʺ I miss you Daniel, the old you! The one I became best friends with! You can't just- ʺ She stopped when the limo did a weird noise and suddenly stopped. ʺ Oh oh ʺ

ʺ What oh oh? What do you mean by oh oh? ʺ Daniel asked her.

ʺ I'm not a professional but I think that the car is out of gas ʺ Betty replied as she turned around and looked at him for the first time that day. Daniel looked at her and burst into laughter. Betty frowned her eyebrows confused. ʺ I'm not sure to understand what is so funny about that? ʺ

ʺ I don't even know maybe the fact that you're the only person in the world who would do that... to talk ʺ Daniel said chuckling before he suddenly stopped and sighed. He opened his door and got out of the car and noticed that it was the sunset. Betty got out of the door and walked towards him as he sat down on the boot of the limo. Betty stood in front of him, she took a deep breath and Daniel noticed that.

ʺ Why don't you want to talk to me? ʺ She asked him. Daniel looked at her before looking away.

ʺ I _do not_ don't want to talk to you. ʺhe said.

ʺ Yes you do ʺ She told him.

ʺ I don't ʺ He said.

ʺ You do ʺ

ʺ I don't! ʺ He told her staring at the empty road.

ʺ Daniel, I'm worried about you ʺ She said quietly. He looked at her ʺ Before I left for London you were different from who you were when we both started at Mode, you had become a so amazing person but now... ʺ She looked down and sighed ʺ I don't understand why you decided to go back to that road again ʺ

ʺ Betty, things change. I changed that's it ʺ He replied.

ʺ No, you've always been a good and amazing person. This is why I don't understand what happened ʺ She told him before he stood up.

ʺ Betty, let's just call a mechanic or- ʺ

ʺ Daniel tell me first what happened? Why did you decide to throw away all the things you've done in your life and went back to your old bad habits? Tell me what happened? ʺ Betty asked him before he suddenly turned around and shouted.

ʺ Because_ you left me!_ ʺ

Betty looked at him and saw the tears forming in his eyes as she felt her heart broke in pieces. She hadn't heard Daniel's voice with so much anger and sadness since Molly's death and even now it seemed even more filled with emotions.

ʺ You decided to leave for London without telling me and I had accepted that. I told myself that I had to let you go because you were happy to! And when I decided to follow you to London because I just couldn't live without you, you let me down! I had asked you for dinner, a simple dinner, and you had to tell me that you couldn't because you were too busy! ʺ Betty was looking at him as he was telling her in almost a shout, what she wanted to know ʺ And the next day I found out that you went on a date with some guy ʺ

ʺ Daniel- ʺ

ʺ No, let me finish okay? ʺhe stopped her ʺ You had told me 'I'll see you later Daniel' and 'we'll catch up later '! But nothing! You just forgot about me! ʺ

ʺ I forgot about you? ʺ She asked cutting him off ʺ I had called you a thousand times after that and you never answered my calls, even now that I'm back in New York, you still don't return my calls! ʺ

ʺ And why would I, when you told me you didn't have time for unimportant things or persons like me? ʺ He yelled ʺ You don't remember? A few days after you stood me up and never apologized by the way, I came to your office and you told me this when _all I needed was you_! ʺ

ʺ I didn't mean to say this Daniel... ʺ Betty whispered as the tears were falling on her cheeks.

ʺ Well you did ! I had made all this way _for you _and afterwards you didn't care at all! You hurt me Betty! ʺDaniel shouted before he noticed that Betty was crying, he hated himself for yelling at her and making her cry.

ʺ I'm so sorry Daniel... I know it's my fault! I was careless and so selfish when I arrived in London, I didn't realize that I hurt the ones that I loved the most... I know everything is my fault, and I'm so sorry! ʺ Daniel walked towards Betty and hugged her as tightly as he could. ʺ I'm sorry Daniel! I shouldn't have left for London at first, none of this would have happened if I stayed faithful to you and didn't accept this stupid promotion! ʺ

ʺ Betty stop ʺ Daniel said as he stroked gently her hair. ʺ It's not your entire fault, I've been childish... I decided to ignore your calls and your texts and I thought that I could forget or at least to move on by partying like I used to before I met you, I'm the one who should ask for apologize... ʺ Daniel pulled Betty away from his body and removed her glasses, he wiped away her tears with his fingers. She never looked up at him ʺ I'm truly sorry Betty for ignoring you those past few months ʺ She looked up at him and met his deep bue eyes. They were sort of watering and Betty understood that he was struggling not to cry in front of her.

ʺ I'm sorry we've both been stupid and hurt each other ʺ Betty told him as she took her glasses back and put them back on.

ʺ I've hurt you? ʺ Daniel said, his eyebrows frowned in concern.

ʺ I mean when you ignored me...ʺ She told him.

ʺ I didn't know you would get hurt... I just ignored you so that I could move on in my life, I never thought that it could hurt you ʺ Daniel said in a low voice.

ʺ Yeah, I forgot how oblivious you could be sometimes ʺ She said trying to joke, she smiled weakly at him ʺ I just can't really live without you... I mean... ʺ

ʺ Trust me, I know what you mean ʺ He said smiling softly at her before holding her back in his arms and sighing.


	4. Bad Day

**Chapter 4 : Bad Day.**

Betty woke up that Wednesday morning with a big smile on her face. She jumped out of her sister's bed, too happy and excited for the day that was waiting for her. She had started to move in in her new apartment since the next day after she finally talked with Daniel. Her family was really happy for her and they offered to help her move in but she didn't want to bother them. Indeed, Betty knew her whole family had a lot going on in their life, Hilda and Bobby were arguing a lot lately about whether move Hilda's hair salon in their new house or not, Justin and Austin had gone back to school since the summer holidays ended and Ignacio had found a new job in cooking in a new little restaurant. Betty was really happy that Daniel wanted to help her but she also refused his help, she had said that she wanted to move in on her own, calmly. It took her 5 days but at least now everything was settled down, well except a few little things here and there but whatever. She was very surprised and glad when Marc and Amanda decided to help her moving in twice.

Betty glanced at the clock in the wall right in front of Hilda's bed.** 8:36 am**. She yawned as she stretched her arms before quickly look back at the clock.

"God, I'm gonna be late!" She screamed before she quickly grabbed a pair of jeans, a black tank top and a checked shirt Christina had gave to her when she was in London and rushed out of the room. She took a quick shower and ran downstairs with her bag and put on Justin's old red converse shoes on.

"Mija! What are-"

"Sorry Papi! I don't have the time right now! I'm gonna be late!" She told him before rushing out of her house. She then realized she had forgotten to call a town car and she couldn't take the train otherwise she'd arrive even later! She groaned and pulled out her phone to call a cab.

"Hey Chipmunk!" She looked up to see Bobbi in his car.

"Bobbi! You're saving my life right now!" She said as she walked towards his car. "Can you please drive me to work? I've got a big meeting at 9am and if I arrive late Wilhelmina is going to kill me!"

"Yeah of course sweetie!" He told her as she climbed in the front seat next to him.

"Thank you Bobbi!"She said.

"But you've gotta put your seatbelt 'cause if you wanna be at your work place in time, we'll have to put our foot down so hold on!" He warned her.

Bobbi was driving really speedily and Betty had her hands gripped in her seat. He laughed before he turned right and Betty looked at him with a scared look on her face before looking down at her watch 8:54am. Suddenly he stopped the car and Betty squealed.

"Oh Betty, I'm sorry but there's a traffic jam" He told her as she looked up. "But Meade is right after that corner" He said pointing at her the way.

"Okay thanks!" She said getting out of the car and running between the cars before she arrived on the sidewalk. She ran as fast as she could trying to stay positive in her head and to tell herself that she was going to make it. She turned around the corner and saw the Meade building right across the street. She ran when she suddenly fell on the ground, crashing her hands and knees hard on the ground and heard a car horned. She turned her head and closed her eyes when the car that was coming right towards her, stopped. She opened an eye and the other when she realized she wasn't dead.

"Oh my God Betty!" She looked up to see Claire standing there "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, yeah. I think" Betty replied as Claire helped her to stand up. Betty's right knee was bleeding but Betty didn't seem to notice it or the pain that it caused to her.

"God, thanks Arthur stopped when we saw you!" Claire said "Betty, you know better than anyone to not run like that in the street!"

"I do but I had to!" Betty told her before she looked down at her hands and grimaced. She then looked at her watch 8:57am. "I'm sorry Mrs Meade but I've gotta go!" Betty said before she walked as fast as she could to the building entrance.

"Betty, wait! You need to treat your knee before!" Claire called out but Betty was already gone.

Betty was now in the elevator with some delivery guy as she tried to wipe the bleed from her knee with some tissue.

"You should treat this" He told her.

"Yeah I'll do this later… Maybe at lunch time" She replied as she tried to put the tissue in the hole of her denim; a hole made by her fall.

"Lunch time? You're gonna wait 'til lunch time? Doesn't it gonna get worse if you wait that long?" He said with some concern in his voice. Betty looked up at him.

"I don't have the choice. I have too much work today" Betty told him before looking at the floor button he had pushed on and the box he had in his hands "This is for Daniel Meade?"

"Yeah, I was told to be very careful and to make sure he has it in proper hands" Betty nodded at him.

"Do you know what is it?" She asked him.

"I have no idea" He replied smiling gently at her "I'm just the delivery guy. I make a little money by delivering things" He sighed.

"What's your name?" She asked him.

"Gio" He replied. Her eyebrows immediately raised as she smiled as she remembered another Gio she knew.

"Well, Gio. Tell Daniel Meade that Betty asked him to give you a good tip" She said as he nodded chuckling before the elevator's doors opened "Well goodbye!" She told him rushing out of the elevator.

"Bye!" He said.

Betty arrived in the meeting room and noticed that everybody was already there except Wilhelmina. She sighed in relief.

"Oh. My. God!" Marc said as Betty sat next to him.

"Good morning Marc" She told him.

"Since you came back from London, I knew that someday you'd be tired of straightening your hair and wearing beautiful tailors or dresses but I never thought you'd ever come here with your wet hair in a lazy ponytail and a denim… With blood? What happened to you? Did you have a fight in the Queens before you come?" Marc told her as he looked down at her knee and she rolled her eyes.

"I didn't have a fight Marc. I woke up late and I didn't have the time to take another outfits and-"

"Hey you don't wear your B necklace anymore?" Marc said as he noticed it missing around Betty's neck.

"I already told you yesterday that I lost it somewhere!" Betty told him.

"Really? I certainly wasn't listening to you" He grinned as she glared at him.

"It must be somewhere in my new apartment"She said thoughtfully.

"Not next to the tv or the little table near it, that's for sure because-" Marc said before Betty cut him off.

"How do you know that there's a tv, I mean I put a tv there yesterday and you haven't come for 2 days or so-"

"Oh, look Willie is already here!" He interrupted her. Betty frowned her eyebrows at his weird attitud.

"Okay, I hope you have some great ideas for the next month issue because I don't want us to be late like we were for this month issue! But fortunately, we made it thanks to Betty's come back and to the amazing article that Marc wrote." Wilhelmina said as she sat down and Marc smiled. "I want some brainstorming for the next cover and I want it to be very good and quick. You, what do you have?" Wilhelmina asked to the woman sat next to her.

"Well, I- I was hum" The woman, called Marissa said as she stood up and looked in her papers. Wilhelmina sighed in annoyance.

"Jordan" Wilhelmina said to the man sat next to Marissa.

"Well I was thinking that we could try to make a cover about what happens after summer holidays" Jordan said as Wilhelmina looked at him even more annoyed than before "I mean we could show how the summer changed the physical appearance-"

"Stop it. You are getting in my nerves. We've already done this last year. Alice." Wilhelmina said looking at her.

"I think that we should make a cover all about nature! Imagine a cover with models in the nature with-"

"Stop. Keep your idea for springtime, now we're still in summer" Wilhelmina said.

"But summer is almost gone and this is the return to work for most of the people like we showed it on the previous cover" Betty said making Wilhelmina look at her.

"And what is your idea Betty? What do you see on the next cover?" Wilhelmina told her. Betty bit her lips together because she knew her idea wasn't really good since she had worked more in her next article than on what should be the next cover.

"What do I see?" Betty said standing up. "Hum, well I see…" Wilhelmina looked up and down at Betty.

"I see you" Wilhelmina said as she stood up.

"You see me?" Betty asked confused.

"You see her?" Marc said more than confused.

"Betty, climb on the table!" Wilhelmina told her "Come on climb on it" Betty obliged and was now standing in front of everyone as Wilhelmina was walking around the round meeting table. Wilhelmina frowned her eyebrows as she looked at Betty's knee. "Everybody look at her" Betty was confused but also afraid of what was going to do Wilhelmina. "I was at a coffee restaurant yesterday and saw 5 women and another one who was reading Mode and they were all wearing this." Wilhelmina said pointing at Betty "A simple checked shirt and a pair of jeans."

"Now that I think about it, I've seen a lot of girls wearing that lately. Even more than before" Marc said thoughtful. Wilhelmina looked at him and then at everybody else. "It's getting more and more fashionable"

"Yes, indeed. And what are we, I ask you" Wilhelmina said "A fashion magazine"

"A fashion magazine!" Marc exclaimed nodding his head.

"So you want the cover to be about some girls wearing this kind of stuffs?" A red-haired woman said.

"No. I want the top models of the moment to be on our cover wearing this with a spirit of halloween! Like Marc reminded me yesterday, we are working on the October's issue, and at the end of that month there's Halloween and Marc decided to accentuate that part but in a light way of course. " Wilhelmina said before she glanced at Betty's knee and sighed "Now, everybody go do! Next meeting after lunch, Marc will tell us his idea. And you Betty, please go treat your knee"

"Willie" Marc said as he stood up "I love your new tailor, is it Channel?"

"Yes, it's the gift I received yesterday from that new designer, and by the way you have a gift too. Come with me" Wilhelmina told him as they walked to her office.

Betty tried to climb down from the table carefully when she suddenly fell down.

"Betty!" She heard. She looked up to see Daniel running towards her.

"Daniel! What are you doing here?" She asked.

"My mother told me her car almost crushed you and she told me that you fell and hurt yourself. Are you alright?" He asked her as he bent down.

"I'm good, I'm good" She told him.

"You're sure because you just made a pretty huge fall" He said trying to help her stand up.

"Yes I'm sure" She said as she tried to stand up "Thank yoo- oow my ankle! It hurts!"

"Oh okay, don't move" He said going to her ankle. He undid her shoe laces and tried to put off her shoe but Betty whined and he decided not to then. "What were you even doing up there?"

"Oh, Wilhelmina asked me to climb on the table to show my outfits" Betty replied as he looked at her up and down.

"Why so? I mean you look good today. Casual and beautiful" He said looking into her eyes.

ʺWell, that's the point. She said that she wanted the cover to be all about this but with a halloween spirit. I think she kinda lost her mind " Betty said making Daniel chuckle "Besides, I'm kind of proud to know that I impressed Wilhelmina with the clothes I grabbed before rushing out of home" Daniel chuckled "Or was it the blood that weirdly impressed her?"

"Alright, Betty Suarez, you're not impressing me right now, more worrying me. Hospital for you right now"

"I don't need to go to the hospital"

"Well, if you can't stand up you better go to the hospital" He told her.

"I _can_ stand up" She told him "Just help me a little bit"

"You're okay?" He asked her as she was now standing.

"Mmh-mmh" She said, he looked at her face and saw the expression on her face.

"You're definitely not. I'm taking you to the hospital" He said in a serious tone.

"No, I'm fine!"She told him as she was gripping at his arm.

"Then let go of me"He told her.

"Okay" She told him, still gripped at him.

"Betty?" He said.

"I'm trying to find a way to let go of you without crushing my face on the floor" She told him. He chuckled and smiled.

"Hospital, now and since you can't walk…" He told her as he managed to put his arms around her waist and was now carrying her in his arms.

"Daniel! What are you doing?" She asked as he started to walk towards the elevators. "My bag, Daniiiel!" Daniel turned around and they went back to the meeting room, everybody was looking at them but Daniel didn't care and Betty was too busy to wonder why her heart was beating that fast.

UB UB UB UB UB

Betty and Daniel left the hospital two hours later. Betty's ankle wasn't broken but she still had to be on crutches for at least a week. Daniel insisted that he and Betty would sit at a starbucks and have some coffee together, Betty accepted even if she was afraid of the tone of work she'll have to deal with when she'll get back to Mode.

As Daniel went to order, Betty was sat alone on a table. She looked up and saw Daniel looking at her as he waited in the queue. She smiled at him and he smiled back at her before his cellphone rang and he had to take the call. Betty looked at him and couldn't help but think of how amazing he was to her since they made up.

_"What are you thinking about?"Betty asked looking at Daniel as they were sat on the boot of the limo. The night had fallen and they still hadn't called a mechanic to leave this empty country road._

_"I'm just thinking about something" He replied lowly before he looked at her and licked his lips "I just still don't understand why you came back to New York" He said._

_"I told you I-"_

_"Yeah, I know you missed your family, your friends and so on. But, it's just... You decided to leave and you knew that you were going far away from them and... After 6 months you just realize that you miss them and you want to come back?" Daniel said, his eyes trying to look into hers but she was staring down at her fingers. "To be honnest, I don't really believe that Betty Suarez the woman who dropped everything to a new carreer and what she always wanted to do,to write about, just wakes up one day after months and decides to drop all that and to go backward..."_

_"I didn't wake up one day after months and decided to do that" She replied as she looked up the sky "Actually, I thought about home and what I left here in New York every single day and a month after, I realized how I missed everything and everyone. I told myself it was natural to miss home and that this feeling would pass but it never did... It just got bigger and bigger and harder... Eventually, I couldn't bear it anymore" She turned her head and looked at him. He was staring at her attentively "And I couldn't tell anyone and..." She sighed as Daniel put his hand on hers._

_"And what?" Daniel whispered softly. Betty hesitated either to tell him that he was the main reason of her come back or not. She didn't want him to think that she came back because she felt guilty that he had gone back to who he used to be a few years back._

_"And that's it" She told him smiling weakly._

_"Your eyes tell me that's not it" He replied._

_"My eyes are confusing right now, don't believe what they show" She told him softly making him smile slightly. She blushed a little when she realized his hand was still on hers. She moved slowly her hand and sighed. After a brief silence, Daniel decided to talk._

_"I know I have been a jerk lately but I promise that I won't make you regret your comeback or your kidnapping" Daniel told her smiling before she slapped his arm playfully._

_"It is not a kidnapping!" She told him as she grabbed besides her, the bottle of water that she had found earlier in the limo's fridge._

_"Okay, okay" He said chuckling as he took the bottle of beer next to him "I guess the other kidnap victims don't have as many privileges as me, thanks for the beer, kidnapper" She glared at him before he laughed._

"Here you go!" Betty blinked a few times as she was pulled out of her flashback when Daniel came back "An organic shade grown Mexico coffee for you " He said handing her a cup.

" Is this some kind of not really stereotype joke? " She asked before he cracked a smile

" Just kidding. A simple black coffee like you love them " He told her.

" Thanks " Betty said sort of relieved before she took a sip of her coffee.

" So when am I going to be allowed to visit your new place? " He asked her smiling.

" Well, you're welcome from now. I finally finished moving in this amazing apartment and when I tell you it's an amazing one, I really mean it! I have like a big living area with a kitchen and guess what? No bath in the middle of my kitchen slash living room! The bath is actually in the bathroom " Betty said genuinely enthusiast making Daniel laugh.

" Wow, that seems so not believable! " He said grinning.

" I know! " She said before laughing.

" Oh and didn't you tell me that Hilda wanted you to throw a housewarming this saturday night? "He said after drinking a little of his coffee.

" Yes but no. I mean I don't know if I'll have the time to throw a housewarming besides I don't really see myself inviting Marc and Amanda to my housewarming when they don't have their own place anymore, it would be kinda rude " Betty said as Daniel nodded.

" But if you, I'll be on your guests list right? "

" Definately, you're already number one of my list, my VIP " She told him making him smile before she took her coffee " Note to myself, add Daniel to my potential list " She said pretending to talk to herself.

" Hey! " Daniel said pretending to be offended before they both laughed.

After have drunk their coffee, Daniel and Betty decided to leave the starbucks and at that right moment, somebody spilled their all coffee on Betty who squealed. Fortunately the coffee wasn't that hot but as her shirt and her top tank underneath were all wet, Daniel suggested to Betty that they go to her apartment so she can change before returning to Mode.

" What? What do they mean by elevator out-of-order? " Betty exclaimed staring at the paper hanged on her elevator's doors.

" It's okay, Betty, we can take the stairs " Daniel told her.

" No, Daniel, this isn't okay. I wanted to show you my elevator, well my building's elevator! Plus I'll take so much time in the stairs with my clutches! " Betty replied as she looked at Daniel.

" I think I'll be able to carry you- "

" No, Daniel! You'll break down after just one step in the stairs! " She cut him off.

" I won't break down after one step in the stairs " He told her rolling his eyes " Come on Betty, your new apartment is at the 4th floor, right? I'll carry you easily, you underestimate my strenght a little too much today "

" I don't underestimate your strenght, I just know that I don't have the weight of a feather " She told him but it didn't convince him and he carried her in his arms. They arrived in front of her frontdoor when Daniel put her down slowly.

" I'm finally going to see your new apartment " Daniel said grinning at her like a little kid making Betty smile.

" Ready? "Betty said as she turned the key " Now push the door " She told him since she couldn't really do it with her clutches. He did so and she let him in first.

" Wow " He said as he looked at the big living area. The colors were plain, brown, black and white here and there. He turned his head at the left there was a couch leaned on the wall to the opposite of the doorway, a tv in front and some boxes she obviously didn't open yet. At the right, there was a typical american kitchen and next to it, there was a long corridor.

" Awesome, isn't it? I mean it's so big comparing to my old apartment and to the one I had in London! " Betty said with a huge smile on her face

" Hum, Betty, isn't it Amanda's jacket? " Daniel asked as he took a pink jacket that was on the table in the middle of the living area

" Yeah, I think so... I wonder how it got here... I mean she came here a few times with Marc to help me move in but since then, she never came back and I would have see if she had forgotten her jacket on the table..." Betty said confusely as she looked at the little jacket that Daniel was holding up. Daniel shrugged before he put it back down on the table.

" So, don't you have to change so that we can go back to work? " He asked her changing the mysterious subject.

" Oh yeah but come on, I wanna make you a quick visit first! "She told him as she started to walk with her clutches towards the corridor. Daniel looked at her and couldn't help but smile at how cute she looked right now before he followed her " Here is a simple closet, and here is the best room of my apartment! "

" Your bedroom? " He asked.

" What? No, the bathroom with the actual bath in it " She told him

" And can you explain to me why your bathroom is the best room of your apartment? "He asked curiously.

" Hum, okay, bad choice of words but what is totally great is that the bath isn't in the middle of my kitchen! And it has its own room " Betty said as Daniel opened the door to look inside.

" Wow " He said amazed by the big tub and the tiled floor and walls " Oh, it's not really the bath's own room, it has to share it with the toilets, a sink and a pretty big miror! "

" Oh, they'll get along! " Betty said making him smile " And the next room is a guest room! Can you believe that? A guest room! This is so good! I'll be able to have a friend or whoever over without making them sleep on the couch! Open the door, you'll see there's already a bed and a few things! " Daniel opened the door and glanced inside " Cool, right? "

" Yeah " Daniel said before looking down at her as a corner smile grew on his face.

" I was thinking to offer Amanda and Marc to stay over for a while since I have a guest room, one can sleep in here and the other on the couch but before I actually asked Marc told me they already had a place to stay and that soon they will have their own place. I'm not sure but he had a very weirdly guilty face, you know? Like if he had done something or was going to, I'm not so sure. I mean Marc has his moments you know he- " Betty told him almost rambling before she looked up at him " What? Do I have something on my face? "

" No " He shook his head smiling " You're just really cute when you're rambling "

"I wasn't rambling. I don't do rambling." She told him before he gave her a look "Okay, maybe I do. Sometimes, but that's very rare" She told him "Come on, the last room is right here"

"Let me guess, your bedroom?" He told her as she walked towards the last door that was slightly opened.

"Are you a psychic?" She said joking before she pushed the door with one of her clutche and entered in her bedroom. He walked in behind her as he analysed the room with his eyes. There was a double bed in the middle of the room and a white wardrobe and a nightstand. He looked at an opened box next to the wardrobe, he walked towards it and noticed that there were a few clothes inside. "So Daniel..."

"Your bedroom is amazing too" He told her, rising his head as he looked at her "I have to admit that I would have imagined your aparment or at least your bedroom to be more... colorful. But it's pretty cool like that too" He said as she was standing in front of him nodding her head "Oh and I no longer see Little Mermaid's covers for your bed" She laughed a little.

"First, it's been a long time I haven't had any Little Mermaid's covers. Second, they don't do Little Mermaid's covers for double bed size"She told him making him chuckle. Then they looked at each other for a few seconds in silence "Daniel?"

"Yes?"He asked never looking away.

"I have to change" He nodded at her "Would you please wait outside my bedroom?"

"Oh yeah! Sorry! Well I'll be right there. Outside. Waiting." He coughed awkwardly before he left Betty's new bedroom.

UB UB UB UB UB

"No, no, no! I never agreed for this!" Wilhelmina shouted in the meeting room as she and a few people were working on one of the major article of the next issue . She stood up and walked towards some pictures that were hung on the walls. "This is not what I want. And this is far away from the whole concept we already disscussed about!"

"Yeah but we thought that it would be better if we added some new colours and-" Alice started to say.

"If you want me to fire you just finish what you have to say" Wilhelmina said interrupting her as she scared the woman who sat down quietly. "If you have new ideas I'll be happy to hear them out but only if they are worth it and not stupid!" She told looking at everybody before she noticed Betty and Daniel in the tub "Marc! Replace me for a moment" She said to her former assistant before she walked out the meeting room, towards Betty and Daniel.

"What a great surprise to join us!" Wilhelmina exclaimed as she arrived in front of the two friends.

"Well, I was just taking Betty here but I-" Daniel started to reply with a little smile.

"Oh Daniel, I wasn't talking to you!" She told him before she looked at Betty with cocked-eyebrows. "So, where the hell have you been, Betty?" Betty didn't know what to say "I'm waiting. Actually, I've been waiting the whole morning after our first meeting, to see you in my office!"

"Wilhelmina, it's not Betty's fault. She had to go to the hospital" Daniel told Wilhelmina who looked down at Betty's feet and at her clutches too before her gaze went to Daniel and then to Betty who spoke.

"I thought you'd call me"

"No, Betty. I don't run after people to remind them that they wanted to see me!" Wilhelmina told Betty.

"Relax Wilhelmina, she's right here now" Daniel said as he frowned at her.

"Daniel, this is a conversation between Betty and me." Wilhelmina told him in a stern tone.

"Yeah but I don't like the way you're talking to her right now" He told her

"I am her boss" She told him as she steeped in front of him.

"And I am your boss" He told her back. Betty looked at him with wide eyes.

"It's okay Daniel" She whispered.

"No, it's not! I'm not gonna let her talk to you like that whereas it's actually her fault that you had to go to the hospital by making you stand on a table!"

"Oh, now you're taking her defenses!" Wilhelmina snorted

"Of course I am! I always do, she's my best friend!" Daniel said.

"Really? You didn't seem to have the same speech when she came back!" Wilhelmina said as Betty looked at her and saw that Wilhelmina was furious against him.

"Please!" Betty said loudly "Stop, people are starting to look" She whispered at them as they were looking into each other's eyes with some anger; Betty didn't understand what that anger was for. Wilhelmina sighed before she turned around and started walking. She stopped suddenly and turned around.

"Since you weren't here this morning, your article was taken by Patricia, you'll give her your research and she'll write it" Wilhelmina said as Daniel made a step but was immediately stopped by one of Betty's clutches. "You'll have something else to do or not" She said before she left.

Daniel looked at Betty. "I'm not gonna let her give your work to somebody else, I know how hard you've worked to gather all the informations!"

"Daniel, it's fine. Let her do whatever she wanna do" Betty told him never looking at him "I'll see you later" Daniel looked at her walking away and sighed.

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Betty walked in her office to see Amanda sat on Marc's desk as she was laughing.

"Amanda!" Betty said making Amanda and Marc turn their head to look at Betty.

"My God Betty, you really hurt your feet! You're alright?" Amanda said as she looked down at Betty's feet.

"Actually, it's my ankle and yeah I'm okay" Betty told her smiling. "So what are you doing here?"

"Gossiping" Amanda said "Is it true that Daniel carried you in his arms?"

"Marc!" Betty said with an annoyed tone.

"What? I didn't tell her, Julia did!" Marc said as he looked up from his laptop.

"Wait. The new receptionist's name is Julia?" Amanda said making a disgusted face as Marc nodded and Betty sat down on her chair. "Ew, that's a terrible name for a receptionist!"

"You said the same for the previous ones that replaced you" Marc said.

"Well, it's not my fault if their names weren't as beautiful as mine!" Amanda told him.

"One of them had the same name than you" Marc said looking up at her.

"Oh yeah" Amanda nodded "You're sure her name wasn't Amandine" She said looking at him with a serious expression on her face "or Amand-o?"

"Now that I think, you're probably right" Marc said before he looked down at his laptop with big eyes.

"Yeah, I think her name was Amando too" Amanda said nodding before she stood up from his desk and looked at Betty. "So Betty do you have any plans for tonight?"

"Hum no, not really" Betty said as she finished tiding up her desk full of papers.

"Do you wanna come with me and Marc to a party?" She asked her as Marc closed his laptop and grabbed his things.

"Hum I don't think so. I don't wanna intrude you know" Betty replied.

"Oh come on Betty, we're sneaking in this party, just sneak in with us and you won't intrude anyone!" She told her as Marc took his stuffs and stood up.

"She's right, there'll be so many people that they wouldn't be able to notice if Zac Efron sneaked in!" Marc said as Betty took her bottle of soda that was on her desk.

"I don't know if I'm in the mood to party" She said lowly as she opened her bottle and was suddenly splashed with all her soda. Amanda and Marc's eyes widened as they stared at her "What the hell?" Betty shouted.

"I told you, you shouldn't have shaken that bottle, Mandy" Marc said as Betty looked at them. Amanda gulped.

"I guess you're not in the mood to party now" Amanda said to Betty who was glaring at them.

"I think we should go right now if we don't want the scaring wet mexican to kill us with her clutches!" Marc said before they almost ran out of the office.

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Betty finished washing her face in the bathroom when she sighed looking at herself in the miror. She definitely didn't have the best day of her life. She looked at her neck and wondered if all of this was due to her missing necklace. She didn't really believed in lucky charms but since she lost it, it seemed that everything was going wrong. She heard a few steps and looked in the miror to see Wilhelmina standing there.

"I was looking for you" Wilhelmina told her. "I wanted to tell you that you can work with Patricia on that article if you want to but I'd rather have you write an article about something else, something more Betty-ly without being out of Mode's limits" Betty looked down at the sink before shaking her head.

"If that's Daniel who told you to do that, I don't want to" Betty told her.

"Excuse me?" Wilhelmina said frowning "You think I'd let Daniel tell me how to run Mode whereas I'm the editor-in-chief now? He had his days of glory, he chose to leave Mode for you and to start over, no one forced him. Besides we had arranged that he wouldn't cross the lines if he ever comes back to New York, I decide what is best for Mode whether he likes it or not." Betty turned around and looked at Wilhelmina.

"I know and I'm sorry for what happened Wilhelmina. I just – I forgot that I had to call you and I know I shouldn't have." Betty told her. Wilhelmina shook her head as she walked towards Betty and was now right on front of her.

"You don't understand Betty. I don't care about this! What I want to make sure is that you understood that you work for me now."

"I know that" Betty told her.

"Well you don't seem to do. I want you at 200% for this magazine. I don't want to have to look for you and then find out that you're hanging out in Daniel's office like you did a few days ago. You're here to work Betty" Wilhelmina told her as her blue-piercing eyes never looked away from Betty's eyes. Betty nodded slowly before Wilhelmina spoke again but this time in a softer way "I know you value your friendship with Daniel. I also know how you have been before you made up and how he has been. However, I know for a fact that you try your best to make things between you two to be like they used to be, whatever they used to be like. But it's hard isn't it?"

"Is it that obvious?" Escaped Betty's lips. She looked down "I don't know what to do"

"I have no idea! I'm not your therapist Betty, I'm just here to tell you to not let all of this interfere with your job" Wilhelmina said before she turned around and started to walk.

"I'm sorry, I just thought you cared" Betty said lowly shaking her head as she laughed lightly at herself.

"If I cared, I would tell you to ask yourself why you're so afraid of those changings" Wilhelmina said with a little smile and cocking eyebrows.

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Betty grabbed her bag on her desk and sighed as she looked throught the window. It was raining like hell outside for like half an hour. She should have went home earlier, now she will have to walk in the pouring rain to get back to home since there weren't any car towns avaible. She turned her head and as she looked at her clutches she saw the million of falls she was going to do under the rain.

"Betty, you're still here?" Betty turned her head to look at her friend as he walked in her office.

"Yeah, I had things to do. But what are you still doing here Daniel?" She asked him.

"I had a few things to do too" He replied. She nodded as she stood up and took her clutches. "You're going back home?" He asked her.

"Yep" She said popping the 'p' "And I should hurry up if I want to catch the last train and then order some chinese food, you can join me if you want"

"The last train? Wait, why don't you take a car town? I mean you can't take the train in your state. Plus it's raining outside, you'll certainly fall and hurt yourself even more" He said with concern.

"Thanks for pointing out everything that I didn't already know" Betty told him "I have no choice Daniel, there's no car towns left for tonight"

"Oh, well mine is already waiting, I can give you a ride home if you want" He told her before he realized that she had offered him to come over and have dinner with her.

"My new apartment's way is on the opposite of yours" She told him

"And what? I can totally make a little detour for my favourite girl" He told her with a flirtatuous smile.

"Really? Since when am I your favourite girl?" She said as she raised her eyebrows at him. He chuckled.

"Betty, you know you've always been my favourite girl" He told her.

"Isn't it because I told you I was going to order chinese for dinner?" She teased.

"No,this is just a plus" He grinned at her "But I don't want to intrude"

"You know you won't" She told him staring at him as he smiled at her, she saw a little box in his hands "What is it?"

"Oh, this is the reason I'm here. I thought you had left so I was just going to let it on your desk" He told her before he handed it to her. She took it with one hand before she stepped back to sit down on her desk. She looked up at him, questionning him with her eyes "Open it" She opened the litte white box and gasped when she saw what was inside "I found it in the hallway last night but a two pearls were missing, I looked for them the whole night and found only one so I sent it to a jeweler. He fixed it and replaced the missing pearl by another one, a real one. He asked me if I wanted to change all the pearls since they weren't real but I of course refused; I know how much this necklace means for you, I'm sorry I couldn't find the other pearl. Anyway, I received the box this morning." Betty looked at him amazed by the man in front of her.

"My God, Daniel, I don't know what to say!" She said her eyes filled with tears of joy "Thank you so much!" She said as she opened her arms annd waited him to come between the space of her arms, to give him a hug. When she did, Daniel could have swore this was the tightest hug he ever had from her. "Thank you so so so much! You made that day ends better than it started! Thank you!"

"You're welcome Betty!" He chuckled as he hugged her back. "I'm just really sorry for the last pearl"

"Actually"Betty said as she pulled away "Lucie gave me that pearl" She took her bag to pull out a little box of matches and opened it, showing the pearl.

"Oh, that's great! I can resend your necklace to change the pearl-"

"No, Daniel" She stopped him "I just want you to accept this pearl" His eyes looked at her with surprise.

"I can't Betty, it's a part of the necklace your mother did to you"He told her.

"Exactly, it means a lot to me. And you mean a lot to me"She told him as she took his hand and put the box of matches in it "I don't ask you to make yourself a necklace like mine with it or anything, I just want you to have it. Keep it somewhere, wherever. But don't refuse it"

"Thank you Betty. I'm very touched, really" He told her in a little voice. She smiled gently at him before she turned her head to notice it had stopped raining, she looked down at her necklace.

"Still, you could have given it back to me earlier since you had it this morning" She said to Daniel who looked at her with raised eyebrows "I'm sure with my necklace, I wouldn't have had such a bad day!"

"Wait, you're superstituous now?"

"I'm not, I just think that with my necklace I wouln't have such a bad day!" She told him

"This means you believe in lucky charms, which means you're superstituous" Daniel told her in a teasing tone.

"You can talk mister I have to drink three sips of my water or soda before I start eating my dinner" She told him back making him whine.

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_**Hello, everybody! I just wanna thank all of you for reading this and reviewing it! It means a lot to me and it keeps me writing, so keep going on :)! I hope you enjoy my story and I hope that my english isn't very bad (I'm french ^^) I love Ugly Betty so much and nowadays, Ugly Betty is back on tv in France so I watch an episode every day but it unfortunately passes waaay too fast. I mean, yesterday it was the episode 'Sisters on the verge of a breakdown' (season 3) it made me realize how closer I'm getting to the end of the show again and I hate this! Thanks God, there are fanfictions to satisfy meespecially with the most wonderfully beautiful and cute couple that make Betty and Daniel :3!**_

_**Anyway, I wanted to tell you I'm sorry for this long chapter, I just can't stop writing when I start!Hahaha**_

_**Well, tell me if you loved it and tell me what you want to see next ;) I'll post certainly next friday night or saturday :)**_


	5. Mistakes and Lies part 1

**Chapter 5 :****Mistakes and Lies (part 1)**

It had been a little more than a week since Betty's accident and she was happy to be able to walk without crutches again and to not hear Marc's mocking remarks; even if she knew that even without crutches he'll find other mocking remarks to make towards her.

Even though she was used of it, she didn't want the new workers to learn about all her stories. She wanted a sort of fresh start in Mode. Indeed she wanted to make a very good impression on them and since her come back, she succeded to make both a very good impression and a very bad one.

The new staff was already talking behind her back with the old staff, some rumors were spreading more and more lately. Among all the crazy rumors about her, the ones that bothered her the most were the ones about her relationship with Daniel. Some rumors were that she slept with Daniel to raise in her career and that she was used to be disguised so that people would think she was ugly and wouldn't have a chance to sleep with Daniel, others were that Daniel made her date Matt Hartley to get money to Meade Publications and then dump him when she got enough money. Betty was sort of happy and relieved that those rumors didn't reach Daniel yet and hoped they'll never do.

Besides Betty was thankful to Wilhelmina to have said that she was the only one who hired Betty back in Mode and promoted her as a senior editor. Nevertheless it wasn't that easy for Betty to write an article that would completely please Wilhelmina.

She arrived in front of Meade publications' building when she heard someone calling her, she turned around to see Claire Meade. She smiled as she waited for the woman.

" Good morning Betty " Claire told her as she arrived next to her.

" Good morning Mrs Meade " Betty smiled up at her before they started walking together towards the bulding.

" I see that you recovered " She told Betty as she looked down at her feet

" Yeah, it feels good to be able to walk to work again "She replied " Smell the fresh air and watch everybody rushing everywhere and pushing people "

" Well, I prefere watch them from my car " Claire replied " It's less dangerous "

" Good point " Betty nodded giggling before they stepped in the elevator with two other girls from Mode " So, I've heard we had a visit today "

" Oh yes! Alexis and Daniel Jr are coming from Paris for a week " Mrs Meade replied with a huge grin " I can't wait to see them. I missed them a lot "

" I can understand "Betty said remembering how much she missed her family when she was in London.

" The thing is that I have to see Wilhelmina before Alexis comes back and they start a fight. Let's not forget that she's the main reason why Alexis had to leave the country "

" Yeah " Betty just said as she heard the two girls whispering and giggling behind her and Claire " So are you going to pick them up in the airport? "

" I unfortunately can't. They'll come here around 12. Oh, if you want to have lunch with us, you are welcomed, dear "

" Hum thank you but I don't want to intrude, besides today I can't " Betty replied as she felt the two girls watching them " I have this date "

" A date? "Claire said interrested as they arrived on Mode's floor.

" Yeah, but not like that " She replied as they stood next to the elevators while the two girls walked away slowly as they didn't stop staring at them.

" Then how exactly? " Claire asked with a little smile.

" It's professionnal " Betty told her in a serious voice.

" You think that by telling me this, I won't ask you more questions? " Claire said amused.

" No, it really is professionnal. " Betty told her " Wilhelmina wants me to try to have him to invest in Mode "

" Why you? " Claire asked as they started to walk around the receptionist desk.

" Because we went to school together and he had a crush on me when we were 9 years old " Betty replied as Claire laughed lightly.

" That is absolutely cute " Claire told her as they arrived next to Betty's office.

" That is not "Betty told her " He used to look under my skirt "

" Daniel used to do this to his classmates too, until the day he did it to his teacher and I caught him doing it... twice and another time I caught him doing it to his nurse " Claire told her " I'm sorry I must have ruined the image of a cute innocent kid you certainly had in your head about him " Betty shook her head laughing

" No, actually I always imagined Daniel as a naughty boy in a uniform, chasing girls in the playground or nurses " Betty said laughing. Claire raised her eyebrows.

" Is that a fantasy of yours? " Claire teased her.

" What? No, no "Betty shook her head as she was now serious " I didn't mean it like that- God I shouldn't even started to tell you this, I mean you're his mother. I shouldn't call him naughty boy " Betty felt her cheeks turn red.

" Call him whatever you want to "She told her winking at the blushing and embarrassed Betty as she laughed before turning around and walking towards Wilhelmina's office.

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As Marc walked in the tub, he saw Betty taking a paper from Wilhelmina's assistant. He rushed over her and took the paper from Betty's hand once Simeng was gone.

" Marc, give me back that paper "Betty told him.

" I just wanna know what it is "He told her as he held it high in the air with a hand and pushed Betty away with his other hand.

" This is just a list of photographs! I have to find one to take pictures for my next article" Betty said as he was reading it. Marc sighed as he gave it back to her. " Thank you "

" God, Betty I'm so bored! " He said as they started to walk.

" How can you find the time to be borred? Don't you have some work to do? " She told him.

" No, I've done all I had to do and it's not even lunch time yet! Plus I have this meeting this afternoon but before that I have like nothing at all to do! " He sighed " Being a creative editor can be so borring " Betty smiled as she shook her head.

" You could help me if you want! " She smiled up at her friend wearing a dark blue suit as they stopped walking. He narrowed his eyes at her.

" Very funny Suarez! " He exclaimed.

" Hey Betty " A blond-haired guy said as he arrived next to them.

" Hey heu hum? " Betty said not remembering the name of that young man.

" Sean " He said with a shy smile.

" Sean yes! I'm sorry, I usually have a good memory especially with names but lately I'm just so tired "She apologized with a little smile. Marc looked back and forth at them.

" Oh it's okay, hum well I guess I was right to buy an extra coffee then "He said handing her a cup of coffee as she looked at him surprised. " I wanted to make it up for the one I made you drop yesterday "

" Oh! Thanks! " She said taking the cup

" Yeah hum I'll see you later " He said before walking away. Betty looked at the cup of coffee between her hands and then looked up as she felt Marc's eyes on her and saw him grinning at her.

" Sooo you didn't tell me you and blue-eyed shy Sean had something! "

" Maybe because we don't " She told him as she walked towards their office.

" Oh come on, Betty! Tell me! "He said as he followed her " I need some great gossips!Tell me, tell me, tell me! "

" There's nothing to tell, Marc. I've only met him a few times and I never talked to him before yesterday! " She told him as she sat on her seat and he sat on her desk.

" And what did Daniel say? "He asked curiously.

" Why would Daniel say anything? " She asked with frowned eyebrows in confusion " I didn't tell him "

" Oooh I thought you told him everything and he told you everything "He said as he took a pen on her desk and started playing with it.

" I don't see why I would tell him things like that, I mean it's not that important "She said as she looked down at a file she had to check.

" I don't know... It might make him jealous " Marc said with a smirk as he pointed at her with the pen. Betty looked up at him and took the pen from him.

" Why would I want to make Daniel jealous? " She asked him as she started to write some stuffs on her papers.

" Because of what he did "Marc simply replied.

" And what did he do? "Betty asked. She was confused, she didn't know at all what Marc meant to say.

" Well you know he- "Marc started before Simeng arrived running and screaming in their office.

" Marc! Marc! Marc! Wilhelmina's office now! It's an emergency! " Marc stood up quickly and ran out of the office towards Wilhelmina's as Simeng followed him. Betty frowned her eyebrows as she stood up and walked towards the doorway of her office to see all the staff walking fastly next to Wilhelmina's office. She wondered what was happening and was scared that Wilhelmina might had a heart attack or something like this.

Betty turned her head towards the elevators to see a tall blonde figure step out of it with a brown-haired guy who was shorter than the woman. Despite the distance, she recognized the woman. It was Alexis Meade.

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He groaned with pleasure when the woman bit on his earlobe as her hands were going down on his sunbelt. He heard a knock on the door but didn't pay attention. He needed to feel loved or at least wanted. He heard another knock as the brown-haired woman above him was kissing her way down his chest.

" God Daniel, I hope I'm not disturbing you! " He heard his mother's voice say. He stopped the woman that was kissing him as he looked over his mother.

" Mom! Hum, can you give us a minute? "He asked embarassed.

" To finish? No. To get dressed, yes. " She said as she closed the door and waited for him outside. She glanced at the elevator as its doors opened letting out a sighing Betty with Daniel Jr. She smiled as she looked at her grandson who wasn't a little boy anymore. He was 15 years old now, almost 16, and looked very handsome. He surely was popular with girls in Paris.

" Mrs Meade " Betty said as she arrived in front of the woman " I'm here to give you back your grandson. Alexis is coming in a second, she's making some things clear with Wilhelmina " Claire's eyes widened " But don't be afraid, Alexis promised me not to attack her. At least not in public, so everything is alright as long as they don't leave the building "

" Thank you Betty " Claire sighed in relief before she noticed Daniel junior staring at Betty " You're alright Dj? "

" Oui " He said nodding his head never looking away from Betty, as Betty looked at Claire with a terrific look. Claire didn't seem to understand why Betty was giving her that look.

" Look, I better go. I have this lunch date in a few " Betty said as Daniel's office; Bradford's old office; opened. The three looked at the tall and skinny woman that walked away towards the elevator without aknowledging any of them. Betty sighed, she thought that Daniel had finally stopped being his old self when they made up but obviously no.

Daniel stepped out of his office and saw Daniel junior.

" Dj! " He said as the boy walked towars his uncle and they hugged " Wow, you've grown up a lot! Look at you! I missed you so much! "

" Oui, moi aussi " The boy replied.

" What? You don't talk english anymore? " Daniel asked smiling at him as they pulled apart.

" No, no, I do. "

" I know you do! I mean you did on the phone too " Daniel said smiling before looking up " Oh, Betty! I didn't know you were here "He said sort of a little embarrassed " Do you wanna join us for lunch? "

" No, I can't " Betty simply replied.

" Because she has got a date "Claire added with a smile. Daniel looked at his mother then at Betty with a surprised expression on his face as his hands were on Dj' shoulders.

" No, I already told you Mrs Meade "Betty started to say.

" Sweetheart, just go and don't be late " Claire interrupted her.

" But- " Betty said when Claire stopped her by giving her a look " I'm already gone " Betty said as she turned around not really understanding Claire's attitude.

" See you later beauty " Dj said making Betty turn around.

" It's Betty, Dj " Claire said to her grandson.

" I know " He replied as he winked at Betty who shook her head as she turned around and walked away. Daniel looked down at the boy and smiled.

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Betty chocked on her water as she burst into laughter. She was having lunch in a pretty fancy restaurant with her professionnal date; Roberto Perez. It was funny to see someone after years, he didn't wear glasses anymore like he used to when he was 10 years old and he looked really handsome.

" I can't believe you did this to Naomi Campbell! " She said between laughs.

" I know, but just tell her bananas and you'll see her reaction! "He said laughing.

" Oh my God Roberto, you really are not like you used to be! "She said after a moment.

" You said this like 5 times now " He told her as he took his glass of wine.

" I know but it's so true! I mean you were such a jerk when we were kids! " She said as he looked at her with a fake surprised expression " Don't look at me like that! You know you were! "

" It's true I was. But I was a nice kid too. I remember those times you and I were forced to work together on these art projects " He said smiling at her.

" I remember the paint you used to put on my face " She told him making him laugh.

" And I remember when my parents got divorced and I had to follow my mother to Spain " He said sighing " I didn't want to because I had my friends here and because there was that girl I had a crush on " Betty looked down at her plate " You were a so cute girl and you weren't like the other ones. You weren't afraid of playing football with me or climbing on trees with me. I remember the day I started to see you on a different angle "

" Really? " Betty said in a little voice as she looked up and met his eyes " I remember that you always were stupid Roberto for me "

" Stupid Roberto? Wasn't it super Roberto? "

" Only when your hands were pulling my hair back "She told him as his little smirk turned into a smile. She took a spoonful of her chocolate's cake and ate it as he stared at her with a thoughtful expression.

" So why do you think I'd rather invest in Mode than Elle magazine? "He asked her taking her off guard.

" Hum well " She said as she took a file in her bag and pulled it out, handing him the orange file " You can see that our tunover is more than impressive especially knowing that for a few months now, not only the fashion world but the magazine world is facing some troubles. And well, we are one of the very few left magazines that succeded to keep going. " Betty explained to him as he scanned the documents " We always adapt to the situation. When there is a crisis Mode magazine doesn't give up and offer a bad issue for the readers, at contrary we don't want to disappoint them, and give them a better one. Therefore we always try to make our next issue better than the previous one with new ideas, fresh- "

" Fine " He said as he handed her the file.

" You don't want to read it? Roberto I can assure you this is worth it. Mode magazine has a great potential and- "

" Betty, stop. I've already done my research about Mode. I know like everything about that magazine that I need to know. Besides, that lunch with you was so amazing that I just can't refuse invest to the magazine where you work, can I? " He said smiling gently at her.

" What, really? Then it's a yes? " She asked with a huge smile.

" It's a yes "He told her as she clapped in her hands " You still do that clapping thing when you're happy? " He laughed.

" And if we weren't sat you would have had my happy jumping up and down " She told him as they laughed.

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Sat on her seat behind her desk, Wilhelmina looked through the big glass wall at Alexis and her mother who were talking to some people of the staff. Her hands were gripped at a pencil as her eyes never left the blonde woman back from Paris. When Alexis had come back earlier, Wilhelmina had tried her best to stay calm but they had an argument not half an hour later. Wilhelmina was furious, she didn't love when people were checking over her work and judging her choices. She didn't want Alexis to come back suddenly and to tell her how to run _her _magazine. She was the editor-in-chief now for God sake's! Besides, she was doing an amazing work. It was because of her that Mode magazine didn't crash down like so many other magazines in the world these past few months and certainly not because of Daniel.

When Alexis turned her head and glanced at Wilhelmina through the glass wall, Wilhelmina broke the pencil in two pieces. She stood up and breathed deeply before her cellphone rang. She looked down at it and saw the number. Even though she had been waiting for this call since last night, she wasn't in the mood to reply. She turned her head when she heard a knock on the door.

" Willie, it's me "Marc said as he pushed the door.

" What do you want Marc? "She asked him as he closed the door behind crossed her arms over her chest.

" Nothing, I was just wondering if you needed something? "He told her gently " I know I'm not your assistant anymore but I can feel it for miles when you're not alright "

" I am alright! " She said loudly before she sighed" I just don't understand what Alexis thinks she is doing right now! This is my magazine! I run it now, she can't come and do whatever she's doing! "

" Yeah! She doesn't have any word to say! " Marc said nodding his head.

" I am the boss here now! " Wilhelmina said as she put her hands on her hips.

" Yeah! "

" So I'm going to go to her and tell her that I am Wilhelmina Slater, the editor-in-chief of Mode magazine! "

" Yeah! " Marc repeated.

" And then I'm going to apologize! "She exclaimed.

" Yeah! Wait what? Apologize what for? " Marc asked confused.

" Well for what happened in the past " She told him as he stared at her.

" You mean to have conspired with her to take over Mode from her own brother and then tried to marry her father and stole her father' sperm so you could become pregnant and own a stock of Meade publications and- " He stopped when he noticed the look she was giving him. After a short moment of silence she spoke.

" I was actually going to apologize for the way I acted when she was in jail before she left for Paris " Wilhelmina said " But maybe I should apologize for all of this too... Damn, that is going to be hard "

" Willie, you don't have to. She'll be gone in a week and then your life will go back to normal " Marc told her.

" No Marc you don't understand "She said shaking her head " I really regret what I've done to her and her family even though I want to kill each of them most of the times! " She sighed as her phone rang again. She looked up at Marc " Sometimes it takes time to realize your mistakes... I think it took enough time for me "

" Willie... "He said as he heard the sorrow in her voice.

" Go Marc, I have to take that call "She told him not wanting to be seen weak. He nodded slowly as he left the office as she took her phone.

" Hey " Wilhelmina replied in a little voice " I'm sorry I was busy... What? No, don't say such stupid things. I'm alright, I'm fine " She said trying to sound fine " I just have a lot of work but I promise to you I'm fine... Yeah, I miss you too Connor "

UB UB UB UB UB

" Maaarc, guess what I brought us? " Betty said with an enthusiast voice as she entered in their office. Marc's seat turned around and she was surprised to see Dj sat there. " Dj! What are you doing here? "

" I am waiting for the meeting to finish " He replied as he looked up and down at her. Betty swore that it looked like if he was checking her out.

" And couldn't you stay with Daniel or your grandmother? " She asked him as she put down some packages on her desk and her purple bag.

" No, they are there too "He told her " I asked if I could hum wander, is that even a word? "

" Yeah " She said nodding as she smiled gently at him.

" And why you are not at the meeting? " He asked as he rolled with the seat around the Marc's desk to arrive next to Betty's.

" I'm not a part of this meeting "She replied " Besides I had something else to do "

" Oh ouais! You had this rendez-vous " He said as she walked around her desk and sat down on her seat.

" It wasn't a rendez-vous " Betty told him as he glanced in the packages. He glanced up at her before slidding his hand in one of the packages and pulling out a little bag of candies.

" Grandma said it was. And uncle Daniel wasn't very happy " He told her as she looked at him curiously " Hey can I have some? " He asked her. Betty grabbed a package and pulled out a bigger bag of candies.

" This one is for you "She said handing him the bag. He grinned as he took it.

" Thank you! "

" _De rien_ "She told him as he winked at her and she shook her head.

UB UB UB UB UB

" Really? " She asked cutting of Wilhelmina's speech. Everyone in the meeting room turned their gaze towards Alexis.

" Do you have a problem with the idea? " Wilhelmina asked her in a calm tone.

" No, no " Alexis said shrugging before she stood up from the seat she was sat on next to her mother and her brother. " I just wonder why you're telling us your plan B for this November issue. Why don't you tell us your plan A... Oh. It was the plan A, wasn't it? " She said as Wilhelmina stared at Alexis walking towards the wall where a few pictures were hung on. " I'm sorry Wilhelmina but I think this is a little too different from the concept we're used to do for every November "

" We? I didn't know you were still working here "Wilhelmina said as she put her hands on her hips " But, please Alexis tell us what should we change "

" Well everything " Alexis simply said as Wilhelmina bit on her tongue.

" Hum excuse me but shouldn't it stay like this? I mean of course it's different but that should be different otherwise why would people buy the magazine if it never changes over years " A woman said. Alexis stared at the woman then scoffed a little.

" Wow you can't defend yourself anymore Wilhelmina? People need to stand for you? " Alexis said trying to put Wilhelmina on edge.

" Don't tell me you made all this way from Paris to irritate me? " Wilhelmina said as Daniel and Claire looked at each other wondering if they should stop them before anything begins.

" Why, is it working? " Alexis asked her hands over chest as she looked into Wilhelmina's blue eyes.

" Sorry to disappoint you " Wilhelmina told her as their eye contact never stopped.

" Come on Willie, we both know that you hate having me around! You thought I'd never come back but here I am! " Alexis said.

" Alexis " Daniel said as he stood up with his mother and walked towards his sister.

" The meeting is over! Everybody out of here right now! " Claire said to everybody who started to leave as quick as possible except from Marc.

" Alexis, I don't want to argue with you or to fight with you. I know that you are mad at me for what happened in the past but I'd really love you to forgive me and- "

" To forgive you? Wow what a surprise coming from you! What do you want me to forgive you about? There's so many things that I don't know what to start with! " Alexis told her as she turned her head and looked at her mother " I can't believe you guys could forgive her after all she did to us, to our family. "

" What are you talking about Alexis? " Daniel said almost shouting " Our family has been in pieces for ages ago and there's no one else to blame than ourselves "

" Daniel is right, darling. "Claire said as she put a hand on her daughter's arm. " The past is the past, you have to move on. " Alexis looked at her mother and her brother before turning her head to Wilhelmina.

" I can pretend like nothing happened but don't count on me to forget or to forgive you " Alexis said as Wilhelmina took a deep breath and tried her best not to show any expression. Claire's hand slowly left her daughter's arm " This must be hard for you, painful? Well this is what you deserve after the pain you brought to us. " Wilhelmina looked at her and then at Daniel and Claire noticing their shocked expression before she turned around and walked away.

" Alexis... " Claire said in almost a whisper while Daniel was staring at her like thinking that she was even more cold-hearted than she used to be.

" Mom, I'm sorry but we can't forget what happened like that! Because of her I could have spent the rest of my life behind bars! She was cruel to us! " Alexis said before Marc spoke.

" And doing this would make you a better person, of course " Marc said in the most serious tone he ever used before leaving the three Meade in the meeting room.

UB UB UB UB UB

" Why don't you just go... play with someone else? " Betty said to Dj as she walked in the tub followed by him.

" Because they aren't as pretty as you are! " He told her seductively. She rolled her eyes.

" I prefere when you used to put glue on my seat " She said under her breath as she looked down at the papers in her hands when she suddenly banged into someone " Oh sorry! "

" No, it's me " She looked up to see Tyler " Betty, hey! "

" Hey! " She said as he bent down to hug her. " I didn't know you were here! "

" Well, I came earlier to have lunch with him and Alexis " He said nodding towards Daniel Jr " And then I had some things to do " Tyler had met Alexis and Daniel Jr months ago, it made him see how complicated his life really was, just like Daniel Jr's. This point on common made them bond quite quickly.

" Well, it's really good to see you! It's been a while " She told him smiling.

" _Ma copine est à croquer, pas vrai?_ " Daniel Jr said to Tyler who chuckled.

" What did you just said? What did he say? "

" A compliment " Tyler who spoke French better than his brother Daniel said smiling down at Betty who looked at Daniel Jr with a suspisious look. " Well, I have to go! I'll see you later lovers! " Hesaid before he walked away.

" What? Why did you call us lovers? " She said before she turned her head to look at Daniel Jr who had a smirk on his face. " Don't look at me like that! " She told him as she warned him with her finger.

" You're so hot when you're mad " He told her.

" Okay, you stay away from me " She told him as she started to walk away and he followed her laughing.

UB UB UB UB UB

Betty had heard that he wasn't going to go home any time soon because he had some work to do. This is why Claire, Alexis and Daniel Jr went to Claire's house without him. However, Claire had told Betty that after the long day they had along with the argument in the meeting room, Daniel didn't really want to spend the evening with Alexis but he promised to hang out with Daniel Jr the next day and the following days...

Betty didn't like to know that he was certainly mad and sad, it made her feel the same way. He was her best friend, wasn't it? Besides, she couldn't stop thinking about that woman who left his office this morning. She had realized that she hadn't really helped Daniel go back on the right path and it broke her heart.

Therefore Betty was now standing in front of his office's door and knocking. She waited a while before she decided to open the door and step into his office.

" Daniel? " She called for him before she turned her head to where his desk was and saw a brunette on quickly turned around and left the room slamming the door behind her.

She ran towards the elevator and pushed the button several times before eventually deciding to take the stairs. She ran down the stairs and after a minute stopped. She didn't know why she wanted to cry so badly. Suddenly she remembered that Daniel used to be a sex addict due to his problems, he wanted to forget them,... But he had succeded to look at his problems in another way, he had succeded to stop using sex for forgetting his problems. If he was doing it again, it meant that he had problems again, Betty thought. She bit her lips together realizing that there was only one thing to do : as from tomorrow, she was going to help him more than ever.


End file.
